Penetrating (open) head injuries
Low velocity vs high velocity injuries
Non-penetrating (closed) head injuries
Examples: Motor vehicle accidents, skiing accidents, sports-related events (boxingn, football, soccer)
types of non-penetrating (closed) head injuries
non-acceleration and acceleration injuries
Non-acceleration injuries
these injuries are caused when an individual’s fixed or restrained head is struck by a oving object. E.g. A man standing on the street and getting hit by a car, a man sitting on a chair and being hit by a bullet
Acceleration injuries
these injuries are caused when an individual in motion is struck by a stationary or moving object. E.g. car accident in motion, skiing accident, person falling from hieght
Assessments of memory
Recognition memory test
here an individual is shown words, faces, or designs and then asked to indicate the images that were presented before. Useful in assessment of individuals who have difficulties in drawing, copying, or responding verbally
Wechsler memory scale
provides information about immediate and delayed recall, recognition of short paragraphs, a word list, unfamiliar faces, and abstract design. It also includes measures of immediate and working memory (digit span, spatial span, letter-number sequencing)
Assessments for executive functioning
wisconsin card sorting test
assesses set shifting
Stroop color and word test
assesses set shifting, inhibition of prepotent responses
tower test
assesses planning
controlled oral word association test
assesses word generation according to initial letter while following a set of rules
General measures of disability and outcomes
functional independence measures
The disability rating score for severe head trauma
More sensitive that GOS and has fewer ceiling effects than the FIM (functional independence measures) and FAM (functional assessment measures)
Katz adjustment scale
assesses personality changes following brain injury and their psychosocial effects
- consists of 127 items with both patient and relative report form. Detects changes following rehab and correlates well with other measure of social outcomes
Neurobehavioral rating scale
assesses wide range of cognitive behavioral and psychiatric symptoms. Shown to be sensitive to personality changes following brain injury, changes over time, and different patterns of frontal lobe-associated psychopathology
Mayo-portland adaptability inventory
assesses temperament and emotionality (anxiety, depression, agitation) activities and social behavior (social contacts, leisure activities) and physical capabilities (use of hand, dysarthria)
Treatment to restore/improve memory function
Types of rehearsal training for memory
Working memory training
memory encoding strategies