CBIS EXAM STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | CERTIFIED BRAIN INJURY SPECIALIST
REVIEW 2026/2027
Dementia - ANS ✔✔Must be coupled with a functional limitation in everyday life due to the
cognitive change
PPCS - ANS ✔✔Always includes neuropsychological assessment, psychiatric history,
psychological response to previous injuries, available support system, and current coping skills
Disorders of consciousness - ANS ✔✔Coma, vegetative, persistent vegetative, minimally
conscious
MTBI represents - ANS ✔✔75% of all TBIs in the US
MTBI symptoms resolve... - ANS ✔✔Most symptoms resolve in 2-4 weeks
CTE - ANS ✔✔A rare progressive degenerative condition of the central nervous system. Diffuse
axonal injury causes release of tau proteins.
Blood Brain Barrier - ANS ✔✔At the vascular level harmful substances cannot pass through the
membrane to harm the brain and it has its own glial cells that serve as its own immune defense
and garbage disposal
Aspiration - ANS ✔✔Food, liquid, or vomit inhaled into thw lungs can result in pneumonia or
other respiratory infections
Pressure Sores - ANS ✔✔Caused by inadequate pressure relief, prolonged positioning on one's
side or buttocks, shearing of skin, casts, infections, incontinence, and poor nutrition
, Sleep Disturbances - ANS ✔✔30-70% of individuals with TBI report issues and Persistent sleep
difficulties may worsen over time after injury.
COLDER - ANS ✔✔Character
Onset
Location
Duration and Frequency
Exacerbation
Relief
Fatique - ANS ✔✔Everyone experiences; subjective; multiplw tests make it difficult to measure
Reliability - ANS ✔✔A reliable measure is one that measures consistently when applied to
different individuals at different times
Domains of cognitive functioning hierarchy - ANS ✔✔Attention
Categorization
Memory
Processing speed
Executive functions
Metacognition
Problems with metacognition affect - ANS ✔✔Your ability to self-monitor and use thoughts to
change or improve thinking and behavior
coma-emergent - ANS ✔✔Do not use consequence based programming; medication, controlling
the environment, providing structure, educate family
REVIEW 2026/2027
Dementia - ANS ✔✔Must be coupled with a functional limitation in everyday life due to the
cognitive change
PPCS - ANS ✔✔Always includes neuropsychological assessment, psychiatric history,
psychological response to previous injuries, available support system, and current coping skills
Disorders of consciousness - ANS ✔✔Coma, vegetative, persistent vegetative, minimally
conscious
MTBI represents - ANS ✔✔75% of all TBIs in the US
MTBI symptoms resolve... - ANS ✔✔Most symptoms resolve in 2-4 weeks
CTE - ANS ✔✔A rare progressive degenerative condition of the central nervous system. Diffuse
axonal injury causes release of tau proteins.
Blood Brain Barrier - ANS ✔✔At the vascular level harmful substances cannot pass through the
membrane to harm the brain and it has its own glial cells that serve as its own immune defense
and garbage disposal
Aspiration - ANS ✔✔Food, liquid, or vomit inhaled into thw lungs can result in pneumonia or
other respiratory infections
Pressure Sores - ANS ✔✔Caused by inadequate pressure relief, prolonged positioning on one's
side or buttocks, shearing of skin, casts, infections, incontinence, and poor nutrition
, Sleep Disturbances - ANS ✔✔30-70% of individuals with TBI report issues and Persistent sleep
difficulties may worsen over time after injury.
COLDER - ANS ✔✔Character
Onset
Location
Duration and Frequency
Exacerbation
Relief
Fatique - ANS ✔✔Everyone experiences; subjective; multiplw tests make it difficult to measure
Reliability - ANS ✔✔A reliable measure is one that measures consistently when applied to
different individuals at different times
Domains of cognitive functioning hierarchy - ANS ✔✔Attention
Categorization
Memory
Processing speed
Executive functions
Metacognition
Problems with metacognition affect - ANS ✔✔Your ability to self-monitor and use thoughts to
change or improve thinking and behavior
coma-emergent - ANS ✔✔Do not use consequence based programming; medication, controlling
the environment, providing structure, educate family
