Week 14- Traumatic Brain Injury

Question 1

What predicts outcomes?

Answer 1

age, motor score, pupillary reactivity, and CT characteristics, including the presence of traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage

Question 2

Axonal injury

Answer 2

occurs over a more widespread area
When acceleration or deceleration causes the brain to move within the skull, axons, the parts of the nerve cells that allow neurons to send messages between them, are disrupted. As tissue slides over tissue, a shearing injury occurs. This causes the lesions that are responsible for unconsciousness, as well as the vegetative state that occurs after a severe head injury.

A diffuse axonal injury also causes brain cells to die, which cause swelling in the brain. This increased pressure in the brain can cause decreased blood flow to the brain, as well as additional injury. The shearing can also release chemicals which can contribute to additional brain injury.

Question 3

Coup-Contrecoup injury

Answer 3

Brain injury that occurs at the site of impact and the opposite side

Question 4

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Answer 4

progressive degenerative disease which afflicts the brain of people who have suffered repeated concussions and traumatic brain injuries,