Brain Injury and Damage

Introduction

Brain damage can present itself during the postnatal stage, perinatal, or even the prenatal stage. The prenatal phase arises before birth, and brain damage during this stage harms the brain's development in several ways. It alters cell maturation, proliferation, or migration leading to a future brain malfunction. The perinatal phase entails the phase at the time of birth, while postnatal is the period after (Wilson, 2013).

This paper examines psychological, clinical, and biological factors surrounding brain recovery after damage and the underlying recovery factors. Further, it describes numerous clinical interventions essential in the restoration and rejuvenation of compromised brain capabilities.

Recovery of Lost Function after Traumatic Brain Injury

Neuroplasticity

The central nervous system (CNS) assumes innovative roles and potential that encourage secondary recovery mechanisms. By definition, neuroplasticity shapes recovery by running neuronal circuits by employing adaptive transformations to functional and structural levels. These changes take different forms that range from synaptic, molecular, and cellular adjustments to global network changes. Traditionally, the adult brain was believed to be static with neuroplasticity only present during cortical advancements. Today, the belief has a different perspective and proof whereby neuroplasticity after an injury takes a three-stage sequence. Injury leads to cells' death, followed by a reduction in the number of repressive cortical pathways. This happens between one or two days as the secondary neuronal networks get recruited. Later, the activities in the pathways transform to excitatory from the inhibitory state. What follows is the proliferation of the neurons and synaptogenesis. Nonneuronal cells, such as endothelial progenitors, inflammatory cells, and glial cells, together with neuronal cells, replace the destroyed cells, rejuvenate gliotic cells, and revascularize. Few weeks into the injury phase, both axonal sprouting and synaptic markers are upregulated. This process allows cortical changes and remodeling for recovery purposes. Chronic transformations have been part of various studies and have revealed that the healing outcomes vary with age. Preliminary studies have also suggested long-term morphologic adjustments in the hippocampus precisely after TBI. Common changes include neurons recruitment and cell soma growth (Su, Veeravagu & Grant, 2016).

Factors Important in Successful Brain Function...

…cases include more-intensive versus less intensive patients (Dana Foundation, 2012).

Suppose I hold a treatment counselor's position, my specialization in neurobiology about brain injury can be of great use in handling patients. TBI is common but goes highly under-recognized that co-occurs with SUD. In this view, TBI can lead to various behavioral and cognitive consequences that could lead to the patient losing track in adhering to the prescribed treatment. Some TBI patients are absorbed into frug abuse even with diagnosed injuries. Others join undiagnosed, and these scenarios can lead to dire effects.

Counselors can predict TBI-affected clients because of the overlapping effects that come with SUD. Other indicators include anxiety, PTSD, and depression. Counselors must be aware of the health status of the client and the effects on their lives. Proper observation can guide the counselors on approaching the clients and seeking the best strategies that fit specific cases such as SUD treatment. They can also engage the clients and provide them with prevention messages and other health interventions that can reduce TBI's recurrence and other…