Trauma can change the way we think, feel, and act for a long time after the initial event. For many people, this could mean flashbacks or nightmares, a constant feeling of being on edge, loneliness, anger, intrusive thoughts and memories, self-destructive actions, and more.
The brain becomes somewhat disorganized and overwhelmed because of the trauma, while the body goes into a survival mode and shuts down the higher reasoning and language structures of the brain. The result of the metabolic shutdown is a profound imprinted stress response.
PTSD Brain Scan
SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) is a nuclear medicine study that evaluates activity (blood flow) in the brain. Basically, it shows three things: healthy activity, too little activity, or too much activity.
Primary effects on the brain include various types of bleeding and tearing forces that injure nerve fibers and cause inflammation, metabolic changes, and brain swelling. Diffuse axonal injury (DAI), one of the most common types of brain injuries, refers to widespread damage to the brain's white matter.
So, these three parts of the brain- the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the prefrontal cortex- are the most-affected areas of the brain from emotional trauma. They can make a trauma survivor constantly fearful, especially when triggered by events and situations that remind them of their past trauma.
Comparing PTSD Brain Scans
She adds that other scans that show the impact of traumatic stress on the brain can include an MRI, fMRI, positron emission tomography (PET), and single-photon emission tomography (SPECT).
Diagnosis of TBI
Assessment usually includes a neurological exam. This exam evaluates thinking, motor function (movement), sensory function, coordination, eye movement, and reflexes. Imaging tests, including CT scans and MRI scans, cannot detect all TBIs.
To receive a clearer picture of traumatic brain injury, and where brain damage has occurred in the brain, imaging centers use MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) to now visualize the effects of brain injuries such as concussions and TBIs, when before MRIs only detected abnormal brain activity.
van der Kolk writes that there are three avenues for recovery: “top down, by talking, (re-) connecting with others, and allowing ourselves to know and understand what is going on with us”; “taking medicines that shut down inappropriate alarm reactions"; and “bottom up, by allowing the body to have experiences that ...
And the answer is yes. The brain is incredibly resilient and possesses the ability to repair itself through the process of neuroplasticity. This phenomenon is the reason why many brain injury survivors can make astounding recoveries.
In fact, depending on the severity of the injury, recovery time for a TBI may vary from a few weeks to six or more months. Each person reacts differently to injury and illness. Thus, recovery time will vary between individuals. However, the length of recovery time for TBI depends on how long a patient is unconscious.
If a patient does see a neurologist after head trauma, the neurologist will perform a neurological exam — checking mental status, speech, balance, reflexes, and vision for indications of a mild TBI or a more severe brain injury.
Computerized tomography (CT) scan.
A CT scan can quickly visualize fractures and uncover evidence of bleeding in the brain (hemorrhage), blood clots (hematomas), bruised brain tissue (contusions), and brain tissue swelling.
You may wonder what the difference between brain damage and traumatic brain injury is. Brain damage usually is non-traumatic, while traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the result of a blow to the head, often in an accident with negligence.
TBIs, including concussions, refer to an alteration in brain function, caused by an external force. This test measures specific proteins present in the blood after a TBI. A negative result on this test can be used to rule out the need for a head CT scan, a common tool used to evaluate concussion.
Brain imaging can reveal unsuspected causes of your anxiety. Anxiety can be caused by many things, such as neurohormonal imbalances, post-traumatic stress syndrome, or head injuries. Brain scans can offer clues to potential root causes of your anxiety, which can help find the most effective treatment plan.
On CT or MRI scans, brain lesions appear as dark or light spots that don't look like normal brain tissue. Usually, a brain lesion is an incidental finding unrelated to the condition or symptom that led to the imaging test in the first place.
Falls. Falls from bed or a ladder, down stairs, in the bath, and other falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury overall, particularly in older adults and young children.
EMDR therapy changes the way a traumatic memory is stored in your brain using eye movements or rhythmic tapping. This allows you to process the trauma so that you can remember the event without reliving it.
X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans can detect fractures, hemorrhages, swelling, and certain kinds of tissue damage, but they do not always detect traumatic brain injury.
While many doctors order MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans or CT (computed or computerized tomography) scans to check the brain for more serious damage, this technology is not suitable for detecting the more subtle changes associated with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI or mild TBI).