week 12: brain injury Flashcards
what is acquired brain injury? (abi)
injury to the brain that results in the deterioration of cognitive, physical or behavioural functioning
- ABI is used to describe all types of brain injury that occur after birth
why is ABI called the invisible disability?
there are no outward physical signs of a disability, effects such as fatigue, lack of initiation, anger, mood swings and egocentricity can be seen as someones personality and not a disability
what caused ABI externally?
- drug abuse/alcohol
- poisoning
infections/diseases
traumatic brain injury (TBI) - falls
- assaults
- car crashes
what cause ABI internally?
- strokes
- tumours
- epilepsy
what illnesses can lead to abi?
- dementia
- Parkinsons disease
- multiple sclerosis
what are the impact zones of TBI?
coup: primary impact (where the head was directly hit)
countrecoup: secondary impact (where the brain shifts and hits the skull, opposite to the coup)
possible physical effects of brain injury
fatigue headaches dizziness paralysis chronic pain
possible emotional/behavioural effects of brain injury
lack of initiation lack of motivation irritability socially inappropriate depression emotional liability (executive dysfunction symptoms)
possible cognitive effects of brain injury
memory loss poor concentration slowed responses lack of insight impulsive
types of strokes
1, Ischaemic
eg, thrombosis
2, haemorrhagic
eg, rupturing or an aneurysm
thrombotic stroke
blood clot (thrombus) blocks flow of blood in brain
embolic stroke
fatty plaque or blood clot (embolism) breaks away and flows to brain where it blocks an artery
what is the role of a neuropsychologist?
- assess the extent of persisting symptoms for cognitive/behavioural and infer their impact on the functioning
- educate clients and families about expected outcomes and management
- design and implement strategies to aid in deficits
