Brain injuries can be hereditary (genetically transmitted from parents), congenital (present from birth), degenerative (deteriorates over time such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s) or acquired.
An acquired brain injury refers to damage to the brain at any time of life after birth which can be caused by any one of many things. Links to information on the most common types of acquired brain injury are provided below.
- trauma such as from a fall, assault, concussion, sporting accident or motor vehicle accident
- lack of oxygen such as from asphyxiation (assault) or near drowning
- alcohol including Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder (FASD)
- other drugs including stimulants, depressants and hallucinogens
- aneurysm – bulge or ballooning in a blood vessel in the brain that can lead to haemorrhage causing a stroke ALSO LINK TO STROKE PAGE HERE
If you know someone who has a brain injury and would like to understand more, here are some resources you mind find helpful.
- Fiction medical novel Left Neglected by Lisa Genova (Qualified in neuroscience and biopsychology) about the effect of brain injury from a motor vehicle accident that leaves the victim unable to identify the left side of her body or surroundings
- ABC Conversations podcast with Sarah Brooker who had a severe car accident while studying to become a neuroscientist and documented the effects on herself and describes how she rebuilt herself from the ground up
- ABC Conversations podcast with Lavinia Codd who studies neurogenesis (brain regeneration) after suffering a stroke at 31 years old which caused her to lose memory and vision.
- TED talk by Jill Bolty Taylor who studied and documented her own stroke as it happened and is now an advocate for stroke recovery
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