BRAIN INJURY 101

Glossary for Common Brain Injury Terms

For a full list of terms related to brain injury, please visit the Brain Injury Society of Toronto website:

ABI 101 Glossary here.

BIST - Brain Injury Society of Toronto
Brain Injury 101

Types of Brain Injury

An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is an injury that occurs any time after birth which disrupts the normal functioning of the brain. 

There are two basic kinds of Acquired Brain Injuries: Traumatic and Non-Traumatic.  

Read more about types of brain injury

Common Challenges and Tools to Help

The brain is known to be very complex and an important organ that makes up who you are. Any damage that occurs to the brain will impact how it functions and performs. Brain injuries can change the way the brain functions and it can impact everyone differently. There are many challenges that come with having a brain injury which can include headaches, anxiety, social isolation, difficulty concentrating and much more. Many of the challenges associated with brain
injuries include physical changes, emotional and behavioural changes along with cognitive changes. OBIA has created a great resource that explains each of these challenges in depth.

Click here to learn about each of them.

OBIA - Ontario Brain Injury Association
Concurrent Disorder

Concurrent Disorders

A concurrent disorder is when symptoms of two or more disorders are present in the same person at the same time. In brain injury, the term concurrent disorder is used for situations where a person has a neurological disorder (brain injury) in addition to either a mental illness, substance use disorder or both.

Read more

Substance Use and Brain Injury

There is significant research to indicate an overlap of brain injury, substance use and criminal behaviour. These factors should be taken into account when assisting someone with a brain injury navigate the justice system.

Read more

Substance Use - Brain Injury