Concussion (Traumatic Brain Injury) is defined as injury caused by what?

• A. A slowly progressive decline in mental abilities
• B. Clouding of the lens
• C. A genetic disorder present at birth
• D. A bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth

Answer: (D)

Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. The essential idea is that the brain is jolted inside the skull, which disrupts normal brain function, and this can occur even if the impact isn’t directly to the head. The force from the impact or from body movement transmits to the head, causing the brain to shift quickly.

The other descriptions point to different issues: a slowly progressive decline in mental abilities suggests a neurodegenerative condition, clouding of the lens refers to a cataract, and a genetic disorder present at birth is a congenital condition. None of these involve a brain injury from rapid movement of the brain inside the skull like a concussion.