There are three aims of Injured Brains of Medical Minds II - Firstly, to provide perceptive accounts of symptoms and the natural history of brain disorders by people specially trained in the art of observing and reporting, thus yielding unique insights into the lived experience of what it is like to be a patient and to be disabled. Secondly, to offer insights into how the brain works, since the articles are written by patients who are uniquely privileged in view of their understanding of the brain. Thirdly, to highlight ways in which the conditions described in the book can be best managed and treated by healthcare professions and carers. Each chapter includes a set of articles by doctors and other healthcare professionals who have suffered a brain injury illness or brain injury, recounting their experience, accompanied by a commentary for each article. The commentaries critically examine the piece, relating it to current issues in neuropsychology, neurology and cognitive neuroscience. Accounts from over 40 individuals cover a wide range of conditions including: stroke, traumatic brain injury, Alzheimer's Disease and other forms of dementia, brain tumour, infectious and inflammatory conditions, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy. Summaries are also included of recent books written by doctors/scientists who suffered a brain disorder. This second volume includes totally new articles and commentaries, providing a valuable insight into what it is like to suffer from a brain disorder as well as advice both to patients and practitioners as to what can best be done to improve everyday limitations resulting from a brain disorder. The first volume was published by Oxford University Press in 1997.

This volume offers a unique look at the effects of brain damage seen through the eyes of physicians and neuroscientists who have suffered a brain injury or illness. More than 50 personal stories cover a wide range of conditions, including memory, language, and visual disorders, Parkinson's disease, stroke, brain tumor, head injury and epilepsy. An introduction to each of these sections provides background information. Each of the personal accounts, written over the past 120 years, is accompanied by commentary by the author which critically examines the experiences of the sufferer, relating them to current issues in clinical neurology and cognitive neuroscience. An overview chapter summarizes the lessons learned from the various sections. Injured Brains of Medical Minds: Views from Within presents extraordinary stories and provides a highly original introduction to neurology and neuropsychology. It is also an invaluable resource for anyone involved in neurological or neuropsychological research.

Joseph J. Fins calls for a reconsideration of severe brain injury treatment, including discussion of public policy and physician advocacy.

Millions live with a severe disability caused by a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and families are often at a loss to understand a condition that can leave their loved one a seemingly different person. In warm, accessible prose, a renowned neuropsychiatrist offers this practical, and hopeful, guide.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a significant source of death and permanent disability, contributing to nearly one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States and exacting a profound personal and economic toll. Despite the increased resources that have recently been brought to bear to improve our understanding of TBI, the developme

Management of Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury is an up-to-the-minute, comprehensive, and useful text designed to support busy physicians, nurses, and mental health professionals working with persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families. Understanding and improving outcomes after TBI requires consideration of the effects of biomechanical forces on the brain and the interactions between the injury, the person experiencing it, and the psychosocial context in which TBI and its consequences occur. A multidisciplinary approach to the management of persons with TBI therefore is essential. Accordingly, this book presents and synthesizes the work of internationally recognized brain injury clinicians, scientists, and educators who were selected by a team of editors with backgrounds in psychiatry, neurology, psychology, and physiatry. This broad range of perspectives enhances understanding and provides nuanced yet practical information on the neuropsychiatric management of persons with TBI. Evidence-informed, concise, and clinically rich, Management of Adults with Traumatic Brain Injury will be of enormous value to health care providers grappling with the neurological and mental health consequences of this widespread public health problem.

A case manager shares stories of patients’ and families’ journeys and “deftly conveys the frustrations and inequities of traumatic brain injury” (Mary Roach, The New York Times Book Review). Head Cases takes us into the dark side of the brain in an astonishing sequence of stories, at once true and strange, about the effects of brain damage. Michael Paul Mason is one of an elite group of experts who coordinate care in the complicated aftermath of tragic injuries that can last a lifetime. On the road with Mason, we encounter survivors of brain injuries as they struggle to map and make sense of the new worlds they inhabit. Underlying each of these survivors’ stories is an exploration of the brain and its mysteries. When injured—by a bad fall, a viral infection, or some other misfortune—the brain must figure out how to heal itself, reorganizing its physiology in order to do the job. Mason gives us a series of vivid glimpses into brain science, the last frontier of medicine, and we come away in awe of the miracles of the brain’s workings and astonished at the fragility of the brain and the sense of self, life, and order that resides there. Head Cases “[achieves] through sympathy and curiosity insight like that which pulses through genuine literature” (The New York Sun); it is at once illuminating and deeply affecting. “Vivid, heartbreaking [and] movingly written.” —The Seattle Times “Tells stories of tremendous courage and perseverance as survivors and their families work to re-establish the everyday skills they had before their injury. The strange effects of neurological damage will draw fans of Oliver Sacks, but Mason’s poignant and caring accounts of his clients’ lives are sure to touch the hearts of a wide range of readers.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Useful information and real hope for patients and families whose lives have been altered by traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury is a life-changing event, affecting an individual’s lifestyle, ability to work, relationships—even personality. Whatever caused it—car crash, work accident, sports injury, domestic violence, combat—a severe blow to the head results in acute and, often, lasting symptoms. People with brain injury benefit from understanding, patience, and assistance in recovering their bearings and functioning to their full abilities. In The Traumatized Brain, neuropsychiatrists Drs. Vani Rao and Sandeep Vaishnavi—experts in helping people heal after head trauma—explain how traumatic brain injury, whether mild, moderate, or severe, affects the brain. They advise readers on how emotional symptoms such as depression, anxiety, mania, and apathy can be treated; how behavioral symptoms such as psychosis, aggression, impulsivity, and sleep disturbances can be addressed; and how cognitive functions like attention, memory, executive functioning, and language can be improved. They also discuss headaches, seizures, vision problems, and other neurological symptoms of traumatic brain injury. By stressing that symptoms are real and are directly related to the trauma, Rao and Vaishnavi hope to restore dignity to people with traumatic brain injury and encourage them to ask for help. Each chapter incorporates case studies and suggestions for appropriate medications, counseling, and other treatments and ends with targeted tips for coping. The book also includes a useful glossary, a list of resources, and suggestions for further reading.

This book recounts some experiences of young Australians with catastrophic brain injuries, their families and the medical system which they encountered. Whilst most of the events described occurred two to three decades ago they raise questions relevant to contemporary medical practice.

Lost in My Mind is a stunning memoir describing Kelly Bouldin Darmofal's journey from adolescent girl to special education teacher, wife and mother -- despite severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Spanning three decades, Kelly's journey is unique in its focus on TBI education in America (or lack thereof). Kelly also abridges her mother's journals to describe forgotten experiences. She continues the narrative in her own humorous, poetic voice, describing a victim's relentless search for success, love, and acceptance -- while combating bureaucratic red tape, aphasia, bilateral hand impairment, and loss of memory. Readers will:Learn why TBI is a "silent illness" for students as well as soldiers and athletes.Discover coping strategies which enable TBI survivors to hope and achieve.Experience what it's like to be a caregiver for someone with TBI.Realize that the majority of teachers are sadly unprepared to teach victims of TBI.Find out how relearning ordinary tasks, like walking, writing, and driving require intense determination. "This peek into the real-life trials and triumphs of a young woman who survives a horrific car crash and struggles to regain academic excellence and meaningful social relationships is a worthwhile read for anyone who needs information, inspiration or escape from the isolation so common after traumatic brain injury." -- Susan H. Connors, President/CEO, Brain Injury Association of America "Kelly Bouldin Darmofal's account is unique, yet widely applicable: she teaches any who have suffered TBI—and all who love, care for, and teach them--insights that are not only novel but revolutionary. The book is not simply worth reading; it is necessary reading for patients, poets, professors, preachers, and teachers." -- Dr. Frank Balch Wood, Professor Emeritus of Neurology-Neuropsychology, Wake Forest School of Medicine Learn more at www.ImLostInMyMind.com From the Reflections of America Series at Modern History Press www.ModernHistoryPress.com