What is Brain Injury Medicine?

Brain Injury Medicine (BIM) is the study, diagnosis and treatment of a brain injury. Brain injuries can impact how well the brain functions including decision-making or memory. A brain injury can be congenital or might result from a blow to the head. This can be through falling, an accident, being assaulted, or something more complicated like a fall associated with another condition, for example impaired balance associated with drug use. Concussions are called mTBI or “mild traumatic brain injury.” Traumatic Brain Injury is a much more serious condition with longer term, even permanent brain damage.

Acquired (ABI – Acquired Brain Injury) is a response to head impact. Congenital brain injury, for example is called a “non-traumatic brain injury (ABI).

Acquired Brain Injuries include TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) or non-traumatic brain injuries (often referred to as ABI).

TBI is caused by an external force. Results may include alteration of brain function or other evidence of brain pathology.
Non-traumatic brain injuries can be caused by, for example, lack of oxygen (the most common is a stroke), toxic exposure and pressure from a tumor or another cause.

Brain injuries can cause a range of psychiatric, medical, physical, cognitive (learning, decision-making) and even sensory disorders.

Brain injuries can impact the ability to work, learn and to relate to others. Severe brain injuries can have devastating psychosocial impacts.

Brain Injury Rehabilitation (Recovery) is not a part of the Forensic Psychiatry curriculum.  I work at TIRR Hermann, a renowned brain injury rehabilitation center. Treatment and recovery from psychiatric conditions associated with a brain injury is useful in rendering prognosis, a feature of Expert testimony as the Forensic Psychiatrist is a damages expert.