Question
I have seen indications that black-and-white photos or pictures versus color are preferable for those with TBI or dementia. Can you speak to using color versus black and white?
Answer
This varies from patient to patient. In traumatic brain injury and actually in right hemisphere stroke and in certain dementing diseases, visual perceptual abilities are compromised. They cannot really see the colors or the colors are confusing, so sticking with black-and-white drawings might help; but for other patients, that is not the case. It is a possibility to have those kinds of visual perceptual problems. For example in Alzheimer's disease, as they progress, they definitely do have visual perceptual difficulties. You might want to stick with simpler visual stimuli.
Laura L. Murray, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, is a Full Professor in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, and Cognitive Science and Neuroscience Programs at Indiana University. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on acquired neurogenic cognitive and communication disorders. Her contributions include approximately 60 peer-reviewed and invited journal articles and book chapters, a graduate-level textbook, and over 160 invited and refereed conference presentations in the fields of aphasia, right hemisphere disorders, dementia, traumatic brain injury, and normal aging.
