Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as a disruption in the normal functioning of the brain caused by trauma. The causative trauma may be a penetrating injury, a blow, bump or jolt to the head. TBI severity is judged by the effect of a TBI, not the cause. In other words, a non-severe appearing force can still have severe effects on the brain. Mild TBI is seen in cases with brief changes in mental status or consciousness. Severe TBI is seen in patients with extended unconscious periods or amnesia after an injury. Falls and motor vehicle accidents cause 52% and 20% of TBI cases, respectively.
In TBI, a bump, blow or jolt may send a shock wave running through the brain that can injure these white matter tracts, despite their innocuous appearance on regular imaging. These white matter tracts run throughout the brain and are responsible for the processing of emotion, speech, vision and sound. These white matter tracts also play important roles in attention, memory, cognition and executive functions like problem solving. Some of these white matter tracts are not present, or are less developed, in lower primates. In short, they are part of what makes us human.
The Group utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to the management of TBI. Board certified Neurologists are at the helm of The Groups TBI program. Through them, care is coordinated to other specialists, such as Rehabilitation, Pain Management, Psychology and Neuroradiology. The Group’s Neurologists utilize these resources not only to diagnose TBI but to also treat it, improving a patient’s odds at returning to normal function.