Dedicated to improving the quality of life of  brain injury survivors . . .  and promoting prevention
 

Some Information on Brain Injuries

The brain is the focal point of our ability to regulate and control our body. It receives and interprets sensory impulses and transmits information to the muscles and body organs. The brain is the seat of our consciousness, thought, memory, and emotion. Although protected by the bones of the skull and by an intricate system of membranes, fluids, and blood vessels our brain can be injured.

A brain injury is the impairment of normal brain function due to a neurological insult.  Brain injuries can occur as a result of open or closed traumas of the brain (as from violence or an accident) - referred to as Traumatic Brain Injuries, or TBI; from strokes (or cerebrovascular accidents – CVA), or from other non-traumatic conditions, such as encephalopathies (to include anoxia, infections, or toxicity), brain (or intracranial) tumors or space-occupying lesions, a hypoxic event (such as “near drowning”), or specific neurological disorders.

Shown below are two views of the brain: the surface view in which we learn of the functions performed by the major components of the brain; and the mid-line view showing the activity of the various brain systems. Study these two schematics in some detail. They bring into focus the importance of your brain to your everyday activity.

Schematics are courtesy of The Perspectives Network WWW Site (URL:  http://www.tbi.org).   Used with permission.

Definition

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is an  injury to the brain that has occurred after birth.  The injury commonly results in a change in neuronal activity which effects the physical integrity, the metabolic activity, or the functional ability of the cell.  Cause of acquired brain injury include external forces applied to the head and/or neck (e.g., traumatic brain injury with or without skull fracture), anoxic/hypoxic injury  (e.g., cardiopulmonary arrest, carbon monoxide poisoning, airway obstruction, hemorrhage), intracranial surgery, vascular disruption (e.g., arteriovenous malformation (AVM), thromboembolic events, fat emboli), infectious diseases, intracranial neoplasms, metabolic disorder (e.g., hypo/hyper glycemia, hepatic encephalopathy, uremic encephalopathy), seizure disorders and toxic exposure (e.g. substance abuse, ingestion of lead and inhalation of volatile agents).

An acquired brain injury may result in mild, moderate, or severe impairments in one or more areas, including cognition, speech-language communication, memory, attention and concentration, reasoning, abstract thinking, physical functions, psychosocial behavior, and information processing.  The term does not refer to brain injuries that are congenital or brain injury induced by birth trauma.  

The Disability

A brain injury - whether it be traumatic or non-traumatic - is different from other disabilities because the onset of the injury occurs so very suddenly.   Once incurred, brain injury can result in impairments in physical, cognitive, speech/language, and behavioral functioning.

Brain injuries cause irreversible damage which can affect the ability to accomplish previously routine tasks.   There is no cure for brain injury and prevention is the best option for minimizing its occurrence.

Some general disability websites may be of interest:

• National Center on Physical Activity and Disability  is operated by the University of Illinois and works in partnership with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and the National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University.Funding for the Center is provided through a grant from the Disability and Health Branch of the Division of Birth Defects, Child Development and Disability and Health in the National Center for Environmental Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.  
• Disability Access Information and Support (DAIS)
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
• American Speech-Language Hearing Assn

Also of interest are disability websites featuring information on disabled who are trying to begin (or continue) their secondary education):

• Association on Higher Education and Disability
• Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI)
• National Center on Secondary Education and Transition
• National Clearinghouse for Postsecondary Education for Individuals with Disabilities

General information on Brain Injury Websites

• Brain Injury Association of America
• Brain Injury Association of Virginia (BIAV)
• Roanoke Chapter of BIAV
• Brain Injury Information Page
• Ohio Valley Center
• Brain Injury Society
• Center for Recreation and Disability Studies - Brain Injury
• Head Injury Hotline
• Virtual Hospital - Head Injuries

Caregiving

Family members and friends of brain injury survivors are often called upon to provide for the special needs of  survivors.  Follow this link for organizations and web-sites which may be of assistance.

Literature

For those interested in reading more on brain injury, we recommend you review the list of books that are available for purchase from one or more sources (e.g., Barnes and Noble, Brain Injury Assn, etc).  In addition NVBIA has a limited number of books on brain injury which are available at our office.  If one of these is of interest please call there and arrange for it to be picked up.

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NVBIA Helpline: [703] 569-1855
On the Internet: http://www.nvbia.org
E-mail: info-nvbia@nvbia.org
Or visit our office located at Brain Injury Services
8136 Old Keene Mill Road, Suite B102, Springfield, VA 22152
Phone:  703-451-8881  ~  Fax:  703-451-8820

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