What, specifically, is “mild traumatic brain injury”?
Clinicians classify head (or, more correctly, brain) injury based on quality or length of change in consciousness and length of amnesia (memory loss). Both loss of consciousness (or even a semi-conscious state) and amnesia are directly caused by the sudden trauma and tearing of nerve cells. When this trauma occurs, the brain simply cannot maintain its normal functioning and shuts down, completely (causing unconsciousness) or partially (causing a feeling of being dazed), until cellular functioning can recover. “Mild brain injury” refers to the extent of loss of consciousness (30 minutes or less) and amnesia (24 hours or less), not to the functional effects. The diagnosis can be made if even one of the following conditions is observed: (1) loss of consciousness of any length, (2) amnesia of any length, (3) altered consciousness (e.g., being “dazed”), or (4) focal neurological deficits (e.g., temporary vision loss, or a seizure). A mild traumatic brain injury can result in permanent, life
