TBI Cognitive & Behavioral Outcomes Flashcards

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition associated with which risk factor?

Answer: Repetitive head impacts over time (multiple concussions)

CTE is linked to cumulative repetitive head trauma — particularly in contact sports and military service — rather than a single TBI event.

Which population has shown the greatest risk of developing dementia following TBI?

Answer: Older adults and those with moderate-to-severe TBI, especially with loss of consciousness

Epidemiological studies show that older adults and those with more severe TBI have significantly elevated lifetime risk of developing dementia.

Which standardized neuropsychological assessment battery is commonly used to evaluate cognitive outcomes after TBI?

Answer: Repeatable Battery for Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS)

RBANS assesses immediate/delayed memory, language, visuospatial skills, and attention — domains commonly impaired after TBI.

Impaired self-awareness (anosognosia) after TBI is most associated with damage to which brain region?

Answer: Right prefrontal and parietal cortex

Anosognosia — lack of awareness of one's deficits — is most associated with right hemisphere and prefrontal cortical damage.

Return-to-work outcomes after TBI are most strongly predicted by which factors?

Answer: Injury severity, cognitive function, pre-injury employment, and psychological adjustment

Multiple factors including TBI severity, residual cognitive deficits, pre-injury work status, and coping ability together predict return-to-work success.

What is 'emotional lability' as seen in TBI survivors, and how does it differ from depression?

Answer: Rapid, exaggerated emotional shifts triggered by minor stimuli, without sustained mood change; differs from the persistent low mood of depression

Emotional lability involves quick, intense emotional reactions that pass quickly, whereas depression is characterized by persistent dysphoria and anhedonia.