Types of Brain Injury

Types of Brain Injuries

I. Traumatic Brain Injury types

Diffuse Axonal Injury –

This injury is caused by shaking or strong rotation of the head.
The injury happens because the non-moving brain trails behind the movement of the skull thus leading to tears in the brain structures.
There is widespread tearing of the brain’s nerve tissue which oftentimes causes brain chemicals to be released and leads to further injury.
The tearing of the brain’s nerve tissue interrupts regular communication and chemical process in
the brain.
This injury can produce either temporary or permanent brain damage, coma, or death.

Concussion

Concussions result from direct blows to the head, gunshot wounds, violent shaking of the head, or through a whiplash type of injury.
Concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury and can occur in both open and closed head injuries.
Persons suffering concussions may or may not lose consciousness. If loss of consciousness does occur it usually does not exceed 20 minutes. They may also feel ‘dazed’ or ‘punch-drunk.’
CAT scans do not always reveal the existence of a concussion.
Concussions are categorized as a complex neurobehavioral syndrome and may or may not include skull fractures, brain bleeding or swelling.
Persons suffering from concussions are at risk for possibly fatal blood clots.
A concussion can cause diffuse axonal injury leaving the victim with temporary or permanent brain damage.
Concussions can heal as quickly as a few months or as long as a few years.

Contusion

A contusion is a bleeding bruise to the brain caused by a direct impact to the head.
Large contusions often need to be surgically removed.

Coup-Contrecoup Injury

Coup-Contrecoup injuries are defined as contusions that are found at both the impact site and the complete opposite side of the brain.
Coup-Contrecoup injuries occur when the blow to the head is strong enough to cause a contusion at the site of impact as well as move the brain, causing it slam into the opposite side of the skull and causing an additional contusion.

Recurrent Traumatic Brain Injury

Also referred to as second impact syndrome occurs when a person sustains a second traumatic brain injury before the symptoms of the first traumatic brain injury have healed.
The second injury may occur within days or weeks of the first injury.
The second impact injury usually causes the brain to swell and widespread damage.
Emergency medical treatment is needed as soon as possible because death can occur rapidly.
Recurrent brain injuries often lead to long term effects such as muscle spasms, difficulty thinking and learning, hallucinations, rapidly changing emotions and increased muscle tone.

Penetration Injury

Caused by objects such as a bullet, knife or other blunt object which forces hair, skin, bone and fragments from the object into the brain.
Objects which travel at a low rate of speed through the skull and brain can ricochet within the skull and cause a larger area of damage.
Through-and-through traumatic brain injuries occur when an object enters the skull, travels through the brain, and exits the skull.
Through-and-through penetration injuries include the effects of penetration plus additional shearing, stretching and rupturing of brain tissue.
Traumatic brain injuries caused by bullet wounds result in a 91% firearm-related death rate overall.
Firearms are the leading cause of death from
traumatic brain injury.

Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken Baby Syndrome is a violent criminal act whereby a perpetrator violently shakes a baby or small child.
The shaking, whiplash-like motion causes blood vessels between the brain and skull to rupture and bleed.
Brain cells are damaged because the blood causes the brain tissue to compress while the brain also swells.
SBS can lead to seizures, comas, lifelong disability and death.
Immediate medical attention is required.

Locked In Syndrome

Locked In Syndrome is a rare condition whereby a person is unable to move any part of the body except the eyes.
People suffering from Locked In Syndrome are conscious and are able to think.
Vertical eye movements and eye blinking can be used to communicate and to operate environmental controls.

II. Acquired Brain Injury
An acquired brain injury is a type of brain injury that has occurred after birth. It is not hereditary, degenerative, or caused by birth trauma. Because this injury takes place at the cellular level inside the brain, an acquired brain injury can affect cells throughout the whole brain and not just in a specific area as with a traumatic brain injury.

Anoxic Brain Injury

Caused when the brain does not receive any oxygen.
Anoxic Anoxia – a brain injury resulting from no oxygen supplied to the brain.
Anemia Anoxia – a brain injury from blood that does not carry enough oxygen.
Toxic Anoxia – Brain injury resulting from toxins or metabolites that block oxygen in the blood from being used.

Hypoxic Brain Injury

Caused by the brain receiving some but not enough oxygen.
A lack of blood flow to the brain caused by a critical drop in blood flow or blood pressure is called an
Hypoxic Ischemic Brain Injury, Stagnant Hypoxia or Ischemic Insult Brain Injury.

III. Some causes of acquired brain injury

Airway obstruction
Lightening strike or electrical shock
Trauma to the head and/or neck
Near drowning
Swelling of the throat
Choking
Strangulation
Crush injuries to the chest
Vascular disruption
Heart attack, stroke, arteriovenous malformation
(AVM), aneurysm, intracranial surgery
Toxic exposure
Meningitis, certain venereal diseases, AIDS, insect-born diseases, brain tumors, seizure disorders
Alcohol abuse, carbon monoxide poisoning, illegal drug use