Traumatic Brain Injury Essay

Traumatic brain injury is classified as a physical brain injury that causes some disturbance in the normal physiological process of the central nervous system. Traumatic brain injuries can be categorized as open or closed. A closed head injury is caused by blunt trauma to the head, and injuries normally result from the brain hitting the skull. An open head injury is usually caused by penetrating trauma in which the skull itself is anatomically altered. A contusion of the brain is defined by bruising of the brain tissue. Bleeding of the brain tissue is called a hematoma or an intracranial hemorrhage according to the size and placement of the bleeding. Brain injuries are formed in three stages. The first stage is called the primary stage when

The secondary stage includes the indirect concerns that follow the initial injury. The tertiary stage of a brain injury includes systematic complications that can occur days to months after the initial injury. The central nervous system is composed of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brain stem. The largest part of the brain is the cerebrum and is further broken down into four lobes that control certain functions throughout the body. The cerebellum is located at the base of the skull and function as the central regulator of posture and balance. The brain stem is located beneath the cerebellum and is responsible for the vital life functions. When a traumatic brain injury affects only one of the three parts of the brain this type of injury is described as a focal injury. When two or more areas of the brain are affected by the injury this is called a diffuse injury. At a cellular level in the brain when there is damage to the brain there is subsequently a damage to tissue (gray matter) inside the skull. The intracellular process begins when there is a decrease amount of oxygen delivered to the neuron and this causes swelling to occur. The damaged neuron causes an interruption in the neurotransmission process due to the inflammatory process. The inflammatory process causes breakdown within the microvascular structure of the brain. There is an excess amount of calcium that enters the cell and affect the mitochondria (energy producer within cell) by weakening the cell of energy that is needed to