TBI Basics
A mild traumatic brain injury commonly caused by a blow to the head.
What is a concussion?
This imaging test is often the first used in emergency departments to detect bleeding.
What is a CT scan?
Headache, dizziness, and nausea are common examples of these.
What are symptoms?
After a concussion, patients are often advised to get plenty of this.
What is rest?
This part of the brain is responsible for balance and coordination.
What is the cerebellum?
A traumatic brain injury can be classified as mild, moderate, or this.
What is severe?
This scale, scored from 3 to 15, measures consciousness after brain injury.
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)?
Difficulty remembering recent events is known as this.
What is memory loss (amnesia)?
This type of therapy helps patients regain everyday living skills.
What is occupational therapy?
The frontal lobe is heavily involved in decision-making and this personality-related function.
What is behavior/personality control?
This type of TBI occurs when an object penetrates the skull.
What is a penetrating brain injury?
This imaging technique provides more detailed views of brain tissue than a CT scan.
What is an MRI?
This life-threatening complication involves increased pressure within the skull.
What is intracranial hypertension (increased ICP)?
This rehabilitation specialist helps patients improve communication and swallowing.
Who is a speech-language pathologist?
This lobe processes visual information.
What is the occipital lobe?
Motor vehicle crashes, falls, and sports injuries are examples of these.
What are causes (mechanisms) of TBI?
Unequal pupil size may indicate increased pressure inside this body structure.
What is the skull?
Some TBI patients develop these abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain.
What are seizures?
Returning to sports too quickly after a concussion can increase the risk of this dangerous syndrome.
What is second impact syndrome?
This structure connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
What is the corpus callosum?
This widespread injury to nerve fibers is often caused by rapid acceleration and deceleration.
What is diffuse axonal injury (DAI)?
Doctors assess orientation by asking a patient about person, place, time, and this.
What is situation (event)?
Problems with planning, judgment, and impulse control are examples of impaired _____ function.
What is executive function?
Recovery programs often involve physical, occupational, and speech therapy working together in this type of approach.
What is a multidisciplinary (interdisciplinary) rehabilitation approach?
Diffuse axonal injury primarily damages these long projections that carry signals between neurons.
What are axons?