Traumatic Brain Injury

Definition: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the brain is injured or damaged by an outside force such as a blow to head or a gunshot. TBIs can occur as a closed head injury in which the skull and brain remain intact or as a penetrating head injury in which an object penetrates the skull and brain. TBI can also be classified according to the severity of injury; physicians often refer to TBIs as being mild, moderate or severe. It is not uncommon for individuals who have suffered a TBI to develop symptoms consistent with one or more forms of mental illness including OCD.