Traumatic Brain Injury Flashcards
1
Q
Prevalence Rates?
A
- Most common form of injury in people under the age of 40
- Sport activities account for 20% of TBI
- Higher incidence in males between 15-30 years old
2
Q
How does it affect brain functioning?
A
- Direct damage
- Disrupting the blood supply
- Inducing bleeding
- Swelling
- Infection
- Scarring = seizures
3
Q
What are Open-Head injuries?
A
- Definition: TBIs w/ skull penetration
- Neurological signs are highly specific
- May undergo rapid and spontaneous recovery if injury is small and highly specific
- Recovery can be remarkable
4
Q
What are Closed-Head injuries?
A
- Variety of forces involved:
1) Coup: damage at the site of the blow
2) Countercoup: damage at the opposite side of the blow due to pushing or pressure
3) Microscopic lesions: twisting of major fiber tracts
4) Bleeding and pressure can result in hematoma (swelling of blood clots)
5) Edema (excess of watery fluid in tissues)
5
Q
What are the effects of Closed-Head injuries?
A
- Coma
- Behavior effects: impairment of specific functions; generalized impairments from widespread trauma
- General complaints after injury: inability to concentrate; inability to perform at same level; changes in personality and social behavior (frontal or temporal lobe injury)
- At risk for future head injury
- Effects are cumulative
6
Q
How are TBIs assessed?
A
- Glasgow Coma Scale: objective indicator of the degree of unconsciousness and recovery (15 points)
- Post-traumatic Amnesia (PTA): measures severity of injury; correlates with future memory disturbance; no consistent method
7
Q
How are TBIs prevented and recovered from?
A
- Recovery may continue 2-3 years, with bulk of recovery occurring in 6-9 months
- Good recovery of cognitive skills
- Poor recovery of social functions and personality (quality of life)
- Prevention: concussions have severe immediate and also long-term and cumulative effects
