CBIS Brain Injury Pathophysiology and Neuroscience Flashcards

What is 'primary brain injury' in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI)?

Answer: Immediate mechanical damage occurring at the moment of impact

Primary brain injury refers to the immediate, direct mechanical damage to brain tissue that occurs at the moment of the traumatic impact.

Which brain region is most critically associated with memory consolidation and is frequently damaged in TBI?

Answer: Hippocampus

The hippocampus plays a central role in consolidating short-term memories into long-term storage and is highly vulnerable to TBI-related damage.

What does the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) measure in TBI patients?

Answer: Level of consciousness through eye, verbal, and motor responses

The GCS assesses a patient's level of consciousness by scoring eye opening, verbal response, and motor response, with a total range of 3–15.

What is diffuse axonal injury (DAI)?

Answer: Widespread shearing of axons throughout the brain caused by rotational forces

DAI results from rotational acceleration-deceleration forces that shear axons broadly across the brain, often causing prolonged unconsciousness without visible focal lesions.

Which neurotransmitter is primarily implicated in excitotoxicity following a TBI?

Answer: Glutamate

After TBI, massive release of glutamate over-stimulates NMDA receptors, flooding neurons with calcium and triggering excitotoxic cell death.

According to standard clinical criteria, which combination defines a mild TBI?

Answer: GCS 13–15, loss of consciousness <30 minutes, PTA <24 hours

Mild TBI is defined by a GCS of 13–15 at presentation, loss of consciousness of 30 minutes or less, and post-traumatic amnesia lasting less than 24 hours.