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There are three categories of brain injuries.
A closed head injury often occurs as a result of a motor vehicle accident, fall or other trauma to the head. Because the injury occurs under the skull, its effects may not be visible physically, but the injury can cause physical, intellectual, emotional, and social problems.
Open head injuries are penetrating injuries, caused by bullets or other objects that enter the brain. Because the injury often affects just a specific part of the brain, very specific problems often result. For example, an individual may have difficulties forming speech, but be able to write the same words on paper.
A third cause of brain injury is loss of oxygen to the brain that could occur as a result of a heart attack or near drowning. In these cases, many brain cells may be affected, and more damage and dramatic behavior changes can occur. In the case of a stroke, only a portion of the brain cells are destroyed, resulting in partial impairment.
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