2.3 - TBI Pathophysiology Flashcards
Which produces less severe injuries: Acceleration or Non-Acceleration injuries?
Non-Acceleration
What are the primary consequences of Non-Acceleration Injuries?
(3)
Deformation of skull
Impression trauma (blow deforms head at place of impact)
Ellipsoidal deformation (skull changed from oval shape to circular due to force of blow)
What are the 2 types of Acceleration Injuries?
Linear acceleration
Angular acceleration
What happens in a Linear Acceleration Injury?
2
Brain moves straight along a linear path
Coup + Counter-Coup injuries
What happens in an Angular Acceleration Injury?
Brain rotates at an angle, twists, or rolls
What are 4 consequences of acceleration injuries?
Cranial Nerve Injuries
Diffuse Axonal Injury
Lacerations
Contusions
Where do Lacerations occur in acceleration injuries?
Cuts primarily occurring in frontal and temporal
poles
What are Contusions that occur in acceleration injuries?
Cerebral bruising
What is a TBI?
(Traumatic Brain Injury)
Structural disconnection/disruption of functional neural networks
What is a Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)?
Axon is torn due causing neuron to die
Do Diffuse Axonal Injuries (DAI) occur in isolation?
No. They will be accompanied by bleeding, swelling, etc.
What is Microglial Activation?
Why does this happen?
A buildup of proteins that occurs when axon is damaged
Initially it seems to help with healing but eventually kills the neuron
Why is Microglial Activation (MA) important to neural research?
Microglia-mediated inflammation seems to hold the key to healing neural damage in the future
What do CT/MRI/fMRIs detect?
Structural changes
How well do CT/MRI/fMRIs detect DAIs?
2
Not very well at the microscopic level
Better if very severe
(Diffuse Axonal Injuries)
When are CTs used in a TBI timeline?
How are they used? (2)
Acute phase
//
Earliest establishes a baseline
IDs treatable injuries (SDH, contusions, fractures, edema, etc.)
When are MRIs used in a TBI timeline?
How are they used?
Chronic phase
Measures changes
How are fMRIs used in TBI patients?
2
Measures regional blood perfusion
Measures blood oxygenation changes
What is Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) used to measure in TBI patients?
Integrity of white matter tract
What is Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) used to measure in TBI patients?
Detection of wide spread metabolic changes
What is Single photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) used to measure in TBI patients?
(2)
Functional brain activity
Cerebral metabolism
What is Magnetoencephalography (MAG) used to measure in TBI patients?
Electrical activity
What are 5 Secondary Injuries that can occur with TBIs?
Hemorrhage
Hematoma
Cerebral Edema
Hypoxia
Seizures
What is a Cranial Hemorrhage?
Ongoing bleeding
What is a Hematoma?
Collection of blood in the meninges or brain
What are the 4 types of Hematomas?
Epidural
Subdural
Subarchnoid
Intracerebral
What is an Epidural Hematoma?
Superior to the Dura Mater
What is a Subdural Hematoma?
Between the Dura Mater and the Arachnoid Mater
What is a Subarachnoid Hematoma?
Between the Arachnoid Mater and the Pia Mater
What is an Intracerebral Hematoma?
Within the cortex
What is Cerebral Edema?
Swelling of the brain
What is Hypoxia?
Low oxygen levels
