Brain Injury Terms and Definitions

NBDPS
National Birth Defects Prevention Study

vascular dementia
A common form of dementia that results either from narrowing and blockage of the arteries that supply blood to the brain or by strokes that cause an interruption of blood flow within the brain.

closed head injury
An injury to the head or brain in which the skull remains intact.

hypothalamus
The part of the brain that controls body functions such as eating, sleeping and sexual behavior, maintains body temperature and chemical balance, and regulates many hormones.

Ear Birth Defect
Anotia/microtia

hematoma
A collection of blood within the brain or on its surface that can cause increased pressure, which can damage brain cells and interrupt blood flow.

brain
The part of the central nervous system inside the skull. Its functions include muscle control and coordination, sensory reception and integration, speech production, memory storage and the elaboration of thought and emotion.

cerebral palsy
A disorder caused by injury to the cerebral area of the brain that occurs before or during birth or in the first few months after birth. Damage to the cerebrum may cause paralysis (palsy) in one or more parts of the body.

amygdala
uh-MIG-duh-luh). A part of the brain that oversees emotions and triggers your response to danger.

Parkinson's disease
A progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the part of the brain that helps control muscle movement.