Brain Damage

Brain damage is physical damage to the brain that impairs normal brain development and function. A person can be born with brain damage (congenital) or may acquire brain damage from outside physical disturbances or injury (non-congenital).

Congenital & Non-Congenital Brain Damage

Congenital brain damage develops during fetal growth and is caused by genetic, infectious, toxic, or traumatic events that occur while the fetal brain develops. Interruption of fetal brain development causes structural and functional abnormalities. Genetic diseases, genetic defects, chemicals, or infections in the mother's blood may interrupt fetal brain development, causing congenital brain damage.

Cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome, autism, and epilepsy are all congenital brain damage conditions. Congenital brain damage can cause life-long problems with physical functions (such as walking, eating, and bathing), or with cognitive functions (such as reading, writing, and object identification).

Non-congenital brain damage is acquired from physical disturbances or traumatic events that impair brain functions. Diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease cause non-congenital brain damage as they impair normal brain functions. Stroke also causes non-congenital brain damage. During a stroke, a blood vessel inside of the brain breaks or is blocked, which destroys brain tissue and impairs brain function.

Traumatic brain injury is a prominent cause of non-congenital brain damage. Traumatic brain injury is sudden physical damage to the brain by an external force that disrupts or alters normal brain function. Traumatic brain injury is usually the result of a sudden blow to the head, which causes the brain to collide violently with the inside of the skull. In other instances, an object, such as a bullet, may penetrate brain tissue and cause traumatic brain injury. Any of these events destroy nerve cells and fibers, which damages and disrupts normal brain function.

Diagnosing Brain Damage

Congenital brain damage is diagnosed during physical examination, blood testing, and imaging studies such as computed tomography scans (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

During blood testing, a doctor draws blood to identify any chromosomal defects or abnormalities. Physical examination allows a doctor to see if any physical deformities are present that would affect child development. Imaging and X-rays such as MRI and CT scans help doctors determine if there is brain damage.

In some cases, congenital brain damage is diagnosed when a child fails to develop physical and/or cognitive functions such as speaking and crawling. However, as medical science and technology evolve, prenatal diagnosis of congenital brain damage is possible through ultrasound examination and testing of a mother's blood for infections, chemicals, substances, and genetic defects that may impair fetal brain development.

Non-congenital brain damage is diagnosed using CT scans, MRI scans, and other imaging tests. In addition to imaging, doctors use the Rancho Los Amigos Scale and the Glasgow Coma Scale to diagnose the extent of non-congenital brain damage and determine chances for recovery.

Brain Damage Treatment

Congenital brain damage treatment addresses any physiological or cognitive impairment resulting from brain damage. While no specific cures or treatments exist for congenital brain damage, there are therapies aiming to help develop basic physical function and communication. Physical therapy develops voluntary motor skills that allow a person to eat, bathe, or walk. Speech or cognitive therapy teaches communication.

Non-congenital brain damage treatment addresses the underlining brain damage cause.

People with non-congenital brain damage are especially prone to life-threatening complications such as increased intracranial pressure and brain swelling. Intracranial pressure is the amount of force the brain, blood, and cerebrospinal fluid (which cushions the brain and spinal cord) exert on the skull. When injured, the brain swells, accumulates extra fluid, and increases in size, thus increasing pressure. To relieve pressure and to drain collected blood, surgeons will operate if intracranial pressure threatens further brain damage.

To help decrease intracranial pressure by draining blood or cerebrospinal fluid from the skull, a surgeon may insert a catheter into the skull. A surgeon may also drill holes into a person's skull (craniotomy) to relieve pressure. Very strong medications such as corticosteroids may also be given to help reduce brain inflammation and swelling.

Traumatic brain injury victims may also need surgery to repair skull fracture, to stop bleeding, or to improve blood and oxygen flow to the brain.

Both non-congenital and congenital brain damage may require extensive and expensive medical care, treatment, and therapy.

Traumatic brain injury is a prominent cause of brain damage. Traumatic brain injury victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for the brain injury and choose to file a traumatic brain injury lawsuit. To learn more about brain injury and head injury, please read other articles on this site.

[Last revision: March 2007]