Functional plasticity or vulnerability after early brain injury?

Abstract

Context. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a common, acquired, childhood disability that may be used as a model to understand more completely the impact of early brain injury on both brain structure and day-to-day function. Contrary to previously held views of the "plasticity" of the young brain, recent research suggests that such early insults may have a profound impact on development. To date, these suggestions remain largely untested. Objectives. To plot changes in cognitive abilities after childhood TBI over the 30 months after injury and to examine the impact of age at injury on cognitive outcomes. Design. Prospective longitudinal study. Setting. Royal Children's Hospital, Victoria, Austr..