What symptoms can manifest in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI)?

Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often exhibit a range of symptoms that result from the impact on the brain. Confusion and loss of consciousness are particularly significant indicators of TBI. This is because trauma can disrupt normal neurological function, leading to cognitive impairment, memory issues, and altered consciousness levels. Students should recognize that confusion may present as disorientation, difficulty concentrating, or trouble processing information, while loss of consciousness can range from a brief moment of being “knocked out” to prolonged unconsciousness in more severe cases.

The other symptoms listed are less directly associated with the immediate effects of TBI. Nausea and fever, for instance, may relate more to injuries or infections rather than direct neurological impacts. Weight gain and increased blood pressure are chronic conditions that could arise from lifestyle changes post-injury but do not typically manifest immediately after a TBI. Excessive sleepiness and insomnia can occur as a longer-term effect of brain injury, particularly due to disturbances in the sleep-wake cycle or emotional disturbances, but do not capture the acute and critical changes that confusion and loss of consciousness represent in the context of TBI.