Traumatic brain injury (TBI) happens when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head violently hits an object,from exposure to external forces such as rapid acceleration or deceleration, like in a car accident,or when an object pierces the skull and enters
brain tissue.
TBI can be classified as 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.
This project is a collaboration of the Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative Medicine (CNRM).
The CNRM leverages the talents of top clinicians and scientists at the U.S. Department of Defense
and the NIH to improve the understanding of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post-traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD). Please visit http://braininjuryresearch.usuhs.mil/
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