Trauamtic Brain Injuries and Rehabilatation

Effects that are caused from the damage itself (cell damage and death in the area that was impacted)

Primary Effects

The point that is first struck

Coup Point

The point that is struck after the initial strike

Contra-Coup Point

Acceleration/deceleration injury can cause neurons to tear

Diffuse axonal injuries (shearing)

Effects that are caused by things other than the trauma itself (ex., blood pressing on the brain after injury)

Secondary Effects

Injuries that occur in a circumscribed area of the brain

Focal Injuries

Injuries that involve a more significant amount of brain injury

Diffuse Injuries

What brain injury is associated with the worst outcomes?

Anoxic brain injuries

#1 cause of anoxic brain injuries in adults

Opioid Overdose (causes cardiac arrest)

#1 cause of anoxic brain injuries in children

Drowning

What areas does anoxia effect the brain?

Hippocampus, parietal-occipital­-temporal junction, prefrontal, and cerebellum

What does the Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15 indicate?

Not in a Coma

What does the Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9-12 indicate?

Mild Coma

What does the Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3-8 indicate?

Severe Coma

What 3 areas of functioning does the Glasgow Coma Scale look at?

- Eye Movement

- Motor Response

- Verbal Response

Stage of neuroanatomical recovery where neurons re-grow connections to other neurons

Regeneration

Stage of neuroanatomical recovery where nerve fibers grow to communicate with new targets, particularly ones that were vacated by damaged neurons

Sprouting

Stage of neuroanatomical recovery where the synaptic cell develops a heightened sensitivity to neurotransmitters, theoretically because it has lost connections with other neurons due to their death

Denervation Supersensitivity

Stage of neuroanatomical recovery where the brain picks up functioning of the damaged area in a different brain area

Disinhibition of Compensatory Zone

When do most neuroanatomical changes occur?

First 6 months to 2 years of a TBI

Kennard Principle

a sparing of function following a brain lesion in infancy

Under 30 minutes of a loss of consciousness

Mild loss of consciousness

30 minutes to a day of loss of consiousness

Moderate loss of consciousness

Over a day of losing consiousness

Severe loss of consciousness