Certified Brain Injury Specialist Exam – CBIS 2024/2025
1. Acute Brain Injury: An injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital,
degenerative, or induced by birth trauma
2. Traumatic Brain Injury: An alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain
pathology, caused by an external force
2 Mechanisms
*trauma impact
* traumatic inertial forces
3. Non-traumatic brain injury: Lack of O2, decreased nutrients to cells, exposure
to toxins, pressure from tumor or blockage or other neuro disorder
4. ABI Prevalence: 2nd most prevalent disability in U. S.
* 13.5 million Americans
5. Children & TBI: * non-accidental trauma cause of 80% of deaths in children under
2yo
* 2/3 of children under 3yo that are abused have TBIs
*falls cause 1/2 of TBI in 0-14yo
6. domestic violence: 67% of women in domestic violence had TBI symptoms
7. Mild TBI: *concussion
*LOC > 30 min
*loss of memory >24hrs
*CGS 13-15
*normal CT or MRI
*any AMS at time of incident
8. Moderate TBI: *LOC up to 24hrs
*neuro signs of brain trauma
* CGS 9-12
*may have focal findings on CT
9. Severe TBI: *LOC <24hrs
,*GCS 3-8
10. Screens for TBI: ACE - acute concussion eval
HELPS
WARCAT - warrior administered retrospective casualty assessment tool
TBIQ - traumatic brain injury questionnaire
ImPACT
OSU TBI ID
11. JCAHO (Joint Commission): The non-profit organization that assists healthcare
facilities by providing accreditation
3 year award
12. CARF (Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission): The Organization that
oversees the accreditation of brain injury programs
3 year award
13. TBI Act of 1996: Federal Legislation
"To expand efforts to identify methods of preventing TBI, to expand biomedical research
efforts or to minimize the severity of dysfunction as a result of such an injury,
and to improve the delivery & quality of services through the State Demonstration
projects."
14. HRSA - Health Resources Services Administration: Money to states to improve
integration services, establish policy & procedure financial support
15. CDC - Center for Disease Control: Carries out projects to reduce incidence of
TBI
16. Rehabilitation act of 1973: Set foundation for state vocational rehab system,
a federal/state supported system of services which assists persons with disabilities
who are pursuing meaningful careers
17. Diffuse axonal injury: Severe brain injury caused by extreme shearing forces
18. Persistent post concussive symptoms: A complex disorder following a concussion,
lasting for weeks or months, consisting of symptoms such as headaches
, or dizziness, Nausea, post Trumatic amnesia and GCS of 13/14
Must be diagnosed by neuropsychologist
19. Somatization: The expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms
20. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy - CTE: Rare, progressive, degenerative
condition of central nervous system that is seen and repetitive brain trauma
Dementia, memory loss, aggression, confusion, depression
21. Hebbian Learning: Neurons that fire together, wire together
22. Experience independent learning: " use it or lose it"
23. Synaptogenesis: The process by which neurons form new connections
24. Disorders of consciousness: Coma, Vegetative State, minimally conscious
state
25. Coma: * no evidence of arousal
* no response to internal or extrnal stimuli
* May have reflexive response
* resolves in 2 to 4 weeks
26. Vegetative state: Transition of severely brain damaged patients from a coma to
wakefulness without awareness
Can be months to years in this state
27. Minimally conscious state: condition in which someone has brief periods of
purposeful actions and speech comprehension
28. Emergence from DOC: Requires at least one criteria:
* functional communication by verbal or gestural Y/N response
* functional use of 2 or more objects
29. Automatic dysfunction syndrome: Episodes of: dystonia (abnormal muscle
tone), tachycardia, diaphoresis (sweating), hyperthermia, hypertension, tachypnea
(rapid breathing)
*occurs in 15%-33% of severe TBI
30. Sleep Complications: Hypogenic hallucinations - vivid dream like auditory,
1. Acute Brain Injury: An injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital,
degenerative, or induced by birth trauma
2. Traumatic Brain Injury: An alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain
pathology, caused by an external force
2 Mechanisms
*trauma impact
* traumatic inertial forces
3. Non-traumatic brain injury: Lack of O2, decreased nutrients to cells, exposure
to toxins, pressure from tumor or blockage or other neuro disorder
4. ABI Prevalence: 2nd most prevalent disability in U. S.
* 13.5 million Americans
5. Children & TBI: * non-accidental trauma cause of 80% of deaths in children under
2yo
* 2/3 of children under 3yo that are abused have TBIs
*falls cause 1/2 of TBI in 0-14yo
6. domestic violence: 67% of women in domestic violence had TBI symptoms
7. Mild TBI: *concussion
*LOC > 30 min
*loss of memory >24hrs
*CGS 13-15
*normal CT or MRI
*any AMS at time of incident
8. Moderate TBI: *LOC up to 24hrs
*neuro signs of brain trauma
* CGS 9-12
*may have focal findings on CT
9. Severe TBI: *LOC <24hrs
,*GCS 3-8
10. Screens for TBI: ACE - acute concussion eval
HELPS
WARCAT - warrior administered retrospective casualty assessment tool
TBIQ - traumatic brain injury questionnaire
ImPACT
OSU TBI ID
11. JCAHO (Joint Commission): The non-profit organization that assists healthcare
facilities by providing accreditation
3 year award
12. CARF (Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission): The Organization that
oversees the accreditation of brain injury programs
3 year award
13. TBI Act of 1996: Federal Legislation
"To expand efforts to identify methods of preventing TBI, to expand biomedical research
efforts or to minimize the severity of dysfunction as a result of such an injury,
and to improve the delivery & quality of services through the State Demonstration
projects."
14. HRSA - Health Resources Services Administration: Money to states to improve
integration services, establish policy & procedure financial support
15. CDC - Center for Disease Control: Carries out projects to reduce incidence of
TBI
16. Rehabilitation act of 1973: Set foundation for state vocational rehab system,
a federal/state supported system of services which assists persons with disabilities
who are pursuing meaningful careers
17. Diffuse axonal injury: Severe brain injury caused by extreme shearing forces
18. Persistent post concussive symptoms: A complex disorder following a concussion,
lasting for weeks or months, consisting of symptoms such as headaches
, or dizziness, Nausea, post Trumatic amnesia and GCS of 13/14
Must be diagnosed by neuropsychologist
19. Somatization: The expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms
20. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy - CTE: Rare, progressive, degenerative
condition of central nervous system that is seen and repetitive brain trauma
Dementia, memory loss, aggression, confusion, depression
21. Hebbian Learning: Neurons that fire together, wire together
22. Experience independent learning: " use it or lose it"
23. Synaptogenesis: The process by which neurons form new connections
24. Disorders of consciousness: Coma, Vegetative State, minimally conscious
state
25. Coma: * no evidence of arousal
* no response to internal or extrnal stimuli
* May have reflexive response
* resolves in 2 to 4 weeks
26. Vegetative state: Transition of severely brain damaged patients from a coma to
wakefulness without awareness
Can be months to years in this state
27. Minimally conscious state: condition in which someone has brief periods of
purposeful actions and speech comprehension
28. Emergence from DOC: Requires at least one criteria:
* functional communication by verbal or gestural Y/N response
* functional use of 2 or more objects
29. Automatic dysfunction syndrome: Episodes of: dystonia (abnormal muscle
tone), tachycardia, diaphoresis (sweating), hyperthermia, hypertension, tachypnea
(rapid breathing)
*occurs in 15%-33% of severe TBI
30. Sleep Complications: Hypogenic hallucinations - vivid dream like auditory,
