Symptoms of Brain injury

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The symptoms of brain damage depend on the area of the brain affected and the extent of the damage.

The outer layer of the brain in which most of the higher functions take place is called the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is the most vulnerable part of the brain, as it needs a lot of oxygen and energy to function. If oxygen is cut off, the cerebral cortex can die in just a few minutes. It is therefore possible for the brain stem to still be alive after the cerebral cortex has died. This is the most extreme form of brain damage and is called a persistent vegetative state (PVS).

Because the cerebral cortex controls most of the functions of the human body, apart from the very basics such as breathing, damage to it can affect almost any part of the body. Brain damage can affect the higher functions of the brain in a random way, disabling some functions and retaining others. It may result in:

paralysis and loss of sensation on one side of the body
epileptic seizures
speech disturbances or loss of communication skills
partial loss of vision.

Brain damage may also have a more general effect, impairing memory (amnesia), judgement, and interfering with thinking.