Brain Injury – the Micro Picture

Brain Micro
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Brain injury is damage to brain cells. And we have an estimated 100 billion brain cells, that’s: 100,000,000,000 cells. How can we possibly understand anything with this many pieces?

And how do we know its 100 million cells – I don’t know the answer to this, except to say it seems a pretty common estimate. It is an odd picture imagining someone counting all those cells!

Remembering that there are millions of cells, helps explain why brain injury is so complex, so hard to understand, and why no two people will have exactly the same brain injury – 100,000,000,000 allows for a LOT of possibilities. It also explains why we are always learning more about the brain – all those cells responsible for different things and many, many, different combinations.

 

To understand a bit about the brain, can help you understand what is happening for the person you are supporting.

Once you start learning you will find it’s a fascinating, complicated organ.

Right now here’s a super quick lesson; brain injury through a microscope. No I won’t get too scientific – don’t go away – really, it’s just a quick short introduction.

Whatever the definition of brain injury you use, whatever the cause of the brain injury, it all results from damage to individual brain cells.

Damage to the brain occurs when brain cells are injured either; through a direct blow to the head and brain; through degeneration with a disease; or a problem getting enough energy for the cells to function.

Once cells are damaged; healthier cells will sometimes take over the work of the damaged cells; some damaged cells may recover fully or in part. Mostly when brain cells die they do not re-grow. People can improve but the damage to brain cells is often permanent.

Research into the brain is one area of research that is changing our approach to rehabilitation. Years ago it was thought that brain cells did not repair or regrow. Now we have lots of new research that paints a somewhat more hopeful picture.

Why do we focus so much attention of these damaged cells? Why are the consequences often so life-changing?

Think about

+ The brain controls everything we do

+ All parts work together,

=  Even minor damage to any part, can have a significant effect on a person’s life.

+ The brain cannot store energy the way our muscles, and other parts of our body can.

+ The brain is a greedy, energy hungry, organ,

+ It does a LOT of work, even when we are asleep. It needs oxygen and energy supplied constantly.

= Any interruption to the blood supply; or any reduction in the energy supplied; or any toxic substances introduced; can potentially have immediate and lasting effects. Yes that includes alcohol!

The part of the brain damaged will determine the physical and cognitive effects for each person. So you would think if we know what each part does, and we know what part is damaged we can sort out what the outcomes will be. Oops no – all parts of the brain are closely linked and they all work together, so predicting the exact outcome can be difficult.

Think of the parts of the brain working together like a group of close friends. They hang out together all the time, they know lots about each other and what they do in the group.  Suddenly one friend drops out.

Initially there is a gap left in the group. It seems huge, and the group does not function like it used to.

Over time, members of the group try and fill some, or all of who that person was in the group.

A new person might fill all, or some of the gap left by the friend.

There might always be a gap in the friendship group.

So it is similar with the functioning of the brain.

“Why do I need to know this?”

The outcomes of brain injury will depend on the number of cells damaged, and what they do: the outcome and future is impossible to predict.

Never give up.

The brain is a complex organ we still do not fully understand – prepare to always be surprised and amazed.

Always be open to learning.

Brain injury = damage to brain cells. The outcomes such as behaviour, are because of that damage to brain cells.

Don’t take it personally.

 Please add a comment below with any useful resources you know of that helps understanding of the brain and its function.

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