Cognitive functioning involves all aspects of perception, thinking, reasoning, and remembering. Cardiac surgery is associated with a decline in cognitive functions. The incidence of this complication ranges from 3% to 80%. Cardiac rehabilitation is a treatment programme designed to help heart patients manage their condition, improve their health and recover their quality of life after a cardiac event.

To evaluate the influence of cardiac rehabilitation on neuropsychological parameters of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Neuropsychological data were gathered from 20 patients (M=11,F= 9; mean age 66,5 ± 11,7 years) who underwent a four week cardiac rehabilitation program. To examine patients cognitive functioning following tests were utilized: Trail Making Test A and B, Stroop test A and B, FAS test and Digit Span Test (DST). Patients were qualified into two groups: Group - I after heart valve surgery. Group II - after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)

In TMT A and B both groups demonstrated similar improvement, though the results were below appropriate age norms. In part A of the Stroop test both groups improved their results, yet the improvement of the I group was greater. In part B of the Stroop test and in DST the results of group I improved, while the results of group II worsened. In the FAS test both groups improved their results, yet the improvement of group II was greater.

The group of patients who underwent heart valve surgery demonstrates greater improvement in processes associated with prefrontal cortex.