Our brains are a complex system of neurons and synapses that enable thoughts, decisions, memories, perceptions, speech, movement, and automatic behaviors like breathing, heart rate, and sleep. That is a busy organ. Ironically, only 0.25 inches of skull bone is designed to protect the brain. When that skull is subjected to blunt force or some sort of penetrating object, the result can be a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A brain injury affects behavior in many ways that can be temporary or long-lasting.

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke describes a TBI as “a brain injury that is caused by an outside force. TBI can be caused by a forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body or from an object entering the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in TBI. Some types of TBI can cause temporary or short-term problems with brain function, including problems with how a person thinks, understands, moves, communicates, and acts. More serious TBI can lead to severe and permanent disability, and even death.”