Neuropsychology: Self-Test on TBI - KEY

Traumatic Brain Injury Peter Brown
Neuropsychological Disorders

Quiz Answer Key


1. b. MVAs account for over 50% of TBI – includes vehicle v. vehicle, vehicle v. bike,
vehicle v. pedestrian injuries.

2. c. It is important to work in concert with the multidisciplinary treatment team and
triangulate data via various assessment instruments, neuroimaging, individual/family reports, and observations, taking all available information into account.

3. a. Somatic (dizziness), cognitive (memory), and emotional/behavioral (irritability)
symptoms are all present in mTBI, though to a lesser degree and typically without LOC – and oftentimes are missed due to subclinical presentation. However, research demonstrates that detrimental effects occur in athletes such as football players and boxers over time (See also Zilmer, et al., 2008).

4. c. Severity of TBI is classified by based on admission Glasgow Coma Score, duration
of unconsciousness and post-traumatic amnesia and any focal neurological findings. The “Severe” TBI diagnosis includes a GCS < 9; more than 6 hrs coma; PTA > 24 hrs, so the answer of of GCS of 3, LOC of 34 hrs, and PTA of one week meets these criteria.

5. d. DAI is associated with coma and poor outcome and often accompanies mTBI. The
shifting and shearing in DAI is the signature of this injury and contributes to a poorer prognosis.