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NINDS Disorders is an index of neurological conditions provided by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This valuable tool offers detailed descriptions, facts on treatment and prognosis, and patient organization contact information for over 500 identified neurological disorders.
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| Emergency Plan. | 05.01.2009 |
| THIS WAY IN: The Tragic Death of Natasha Richardson. | 05.01.2009 |
| Am I Nothing but What I Remember?. | 07.01.2008 |
| Treating Amnesia. | 07.01.2008 |
| Expressing Pain. | 03.01.2008 |
| HEAD GAMES. | 09.01.2007 |
| Special Report On Concussion. | 09.01.2007 |
| Hope for Brain Injury. | 03.01.2007 |
| Avoid Insult to Brain Injury. | 03.01.2007 |
| Adding Insult to Brain Injury. | 11.01.2006 |
| The Silent Epidemic: Traumatic brain injury's massive impact on sufferers and society. | 09.01.2006 |
| WAR ON THE BRAIN. | 09.01.2006 |
| THE LONG ROAD HOME. | 09.01.2006 |
| Help on the Long Road to Recovery from Brain Injury. | 09.01.2006 |
| Good News after Bad News. | 07.01.2006 |
| Linking Head Trauma to Parkinsonism. | 05.01.2006 |
| Traumatic Brain Injury: Safe Play On and Off the Field. | 09.01.2005 |
| Steroids Not Good for Severe Brain Injuries. | 09.01.2005 |
Neurology Patient Pages
| The neurology world is flat. | 10.23.2007 |
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Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a form of acquired brain injury, occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.
Treatment
Anyone with signs of moderate or severe TBI should receive medical attention as soon as possible. Because little can be done to reverse the initial brain damage caused by trauma, medical personnel try to stabilize an individual with TBI and focus on preventing further injury. Primary concerns include insuring proper oxygen supply to the brain and the rest of the body, maintaining adequate blood flow, and controlling blood pressure. Imaging tests help in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of a TBI patient. Patients with mild to moderate injuries may receive skull and neck X-rays to check for bone fractures or spinal instability. For moderate to severe cases, the imaging test is a computed tomography (CT) scan. Moderately to severely injured patients receive rehabilitation that involves individually tailored treatment programs in the areas of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy, physiatry (physical medicine), psychology/psychiatry, and social support.
Prognosis
Approximately half of severely head-injured patients will need surgery to remove or repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). Disabilities resulting from a TBI depend upon the severity of the injury, the location of the injury, and the age and general health of the individual. Some common disabilities include problems with cognition (thinking, memory, and reasoning), sensory processing (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), communication (expression and understanding), and behavior or mental health (depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness). More serious head injuries may result in stupor, an unresponsive state, but one in which an individual can be aroused briefly by a strong stimulus, such as sharp pain; coma, a state in which an individual is totally unconscious, unresponsive, unaware, and unarousable; vegetative state, in which an individual is unconscious and unaware of his or her surroundings, but continues to have a sleep-wake cycle and periods of alertness; and a persistent vegetative state (PVS), in which an individual stays in a vegetative state for more than a month.
Research
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) conducts TBI research in its laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and also supports TBI research through grants to major medical institutions across the country. This research involves studies in the laboratory and in clinical settings to better understand TBI and the biological mechanisms underlying damage to the brain. This research will allow scientists to develop strategies and interventions to limit the primary and secondary brain damage that occurs within days of a head trauma, and to devise therapies to treat brain injury and improve long-term recovery of function.More information about Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Research is available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/research/tbi/index.htm
View a list of studies currently seeking patients.
View more studies on this condition.
Read additional information from Medline Plus.
Organizations
Acoustic Neuroma Association
Provides information and support to patients diagnosed with or treated for acoustic neuroma or other benign tumors affecting the cranial nerves.
600 Peachtree Parkway
Suite 108
Suite 108
Cumming, GA 30041
Tel: 770-205-8211
877-200-8211
Fax: 770-205-0239/877-202-0239
Brain Injury Association of America, Inc.
Non-profit organization dedicated to people with brain injury and their families. Offers research, education, and advocacy programs through a national office, network of state affiliates, support groups, and a helpline.
1608 Spring Hill Rd
Suite 110
Suite 110
Vienna, VA 22182
Tel: 703-761-0750
800-444-6443
Fax: 703-761-0755
Brain Trauma Foundation
Nationwide organization devoted to improving the outcome of traumatic brain injury patients. Focuses on the acute phase of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and methods to improve chances of a meaningful recovery. The Foundation works to improve the care of TBI patients from the scene of injury to the emergency room and ICU through guidelines development, professional education, quality improvement, and clinical research.
7 World Trade Center
250 Greenwich Street
34th Floor
34th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-772-0608
Fax: 212-772-0357
National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC)
8201 Corporate Drive
Suite 600
Suite 600
Landover, MD 20785
Tel: 301-459-5900/301-459-5984 (TTY)
800-346-2742
Fax: 301-562-2401
National Stroke Association
National non-profit organization that offers education, services and community-based activities in prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery. Serves the public and professional communities, people at risk, patients and their health care providers, stroke survivors, and their families and caregivers.
9707 East Easter Lane
Suite B
Suite B
Centennial, CO 80112-3747
Tel: 303-649-9299
800-STROKES (787-6537)
Fax: 303-649-1328
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20202-7100
Tel: 202-245-7460
202-245-7316 (TTY)
Family Caregiver Alliance/ National Center on Caregiving
Supports and assists families and caregivers of adults with debilitating health conditions. Offers programs and consultation on caregiving issues at local, state, and national levels. Offers free publications and support online, including a national directory of publicly funded caregiver support programs.
785 Market St.
Suite 750
Suite 750
San Francisco, CA 94103
Tel: 415-434-3388
800-445-8106
Fax: 415-434-3508