WHAT MEMORY PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TBI?
In the paragraphs above, several comments are made about the areas of the brain associated with specific types of memory. The vulnerable areas of the brain in TBI most closely associated with memory problems are the frontal lobes and the hippocampus. In addition, widespread microscopic damage throughout the brain can degrade storage systems and “retrieval routes”, making retrieval of information more difficult. The frontal lobes are vulnerable because of their position in relation to bony prominences within the skull. The hippocampus is vulnerable to secondary hypoxic injury (reduction in the supply of oxygen), common after severe injuries. With these types of brain damage, the following memory challenges and profiles are commonly observed in children with TBI. Impaired encoding and retrieval: Both encoding and retrieval are commonly impaired after TBI. Encoding for many types of memory is affected by damage to the hippocampus and surrounding structures in the medial temporal lobes. Vo
