Traumatic Brain Injury

What is TBI?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to damage caused to the brain due to an external force (e.g., a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain). These injuries can result from a wide range of events, including car accidents, falls, sports injuries, and violence. TBIs can range from mild (e.g., concussion) to severe and life threatening.

Book an appointment with our Neuropsychology team

What are the cognitive impacts of TBI?

TBI’s can result in a wide range of cognitive symptoms, with the type, severity and duration of symptoms depending on the extent and location of the injury, as well as the individual’s overall health and recovery. Common cognitive symptoms following TBI include difficulties with attention, memory, language, perceptual and spatial skills, executive functioning (e.g., planning, problem solving and decision-making), and emotional and behavioural regulation. These cognitive symptoms can significantly impact an individual’s ability to function in their daily lives, including their ability to work, maintain relationships, and perform routine tasks. These difficulties can also significantly impact quality of life.

Attention: Individuals with TBI may have difficulty sustaining attention, shifting attention from one task to another, or filtering out distractions. These attention problems can make it difficult to stay focused on tasks and can lead to increased errors.
Memory: Individuals with TBI may have difficulty remembering things that happened before their injury (retrograde amnesia) or difficulty remembering new information (anterograde amnesia). These memory problems can be particularly frustrating and can make it difficult to complete tasks that require remembering instructions or steps.
Language & Communication: Individuals with TBI may have trouble understanding spoken or written language, expressing themselves clearly, or finding the right words to use.
Perceptual and Spatial: TBI can cause problems with depth perception, visual processing, and spatial orientation.
Executive Functioning: Individuals with TBI may have difficulty coming up with solutions to problems or may struggle with planning and organising tasks. These difficulties can make it difficult to complete complex tasks and can lead to frustration and feelings of incompetence. Individuals with TBI may also have difficulty making decisions or may struggle with making sound judgments.
Emotional & Behavioural Regulation: TBI can cause mood swings, irritability, depression, and anxiety, as well as difficulty regulating emotions and behaviour.

How can neuropsychology help?

Clinical Neuropsychologists are experts in the assessment and treatment of cognitive and behavioural problems related to brain injury. They have specialised training in the neuroanatomy and neurophysiology of the brain and how brain function can be impacted by injury, disease, or other factors. Clinical Neuropsychologist’s can play a critical role in helping individuals with TBI recover and regain their cognitive function.

They can help by conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the individual’s cognitive function and identifying strengths and weaknesses. This evaluation typically involves a series of standardised tests and assessments that are designed to measure different aspects of cognitive function, such as attention, memory, language, and executive functioning. The results of these assessments can help the neuropsychologist develop an individualised treatment plan that targets specific areas of cognitive impairment.

Clinical Neuropsychologists can also provide education and support to individuals with TBI and their families. They can help individuals understand the nature of their cognitive deficits and how they can best manage them. This may involve teaching compensatory strategies to help individuals work around their cognitive deficits, providing counselling and emotional support, and connecting individuals with other resources and services in the community.

Finally, they can assist by providing cognitive rehabilitation therapy. This type of therapy is designed to help individuals improve their cognitive function by targeting specific areas of impairment. Cognitive rehabilitation therapy may involve a range of techniques, such as memory training, attention training, problem-solving exercises, and psychotherapy.

If you or a loved one has experienced a TBI, it may be beneficial to seek the services of a neuropsychologist to help guide the recovery process.