CBIS 6TH EDITION 2026/2027 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | CERTIFIED BRAIN
INJURY SPECIALIST STUDY GUIDE
Chapter 1: Brain Injury Overview
Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain injury is often referred to as a "silent epidemic" due to the subtlety of its symptoms, which
can include memory and cognitive issues that are not immediately apparent.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI): Refers to brain injuries that occur after birth, encompassing
both external physical forces and internal insults.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A subset of ABI caused by external forces, such as falls,
motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), sports injuries, and assaults.
Types of Brain Injury
Traumatic Impact: Injuries can be classified into contact and non-contact injuries.
Contact Injury: Occurs when the head is struck by or against an object, leading to
immediate damage.
Non-Contact Injury: Involves the brain moving within the skull, often resulting in coup-
contrecoup injuries where damage occurs at both the site of impact and the opposite
side.
Causes and Risk Factors of TBI
The most common cause of brain injury, according to the CDC, is falls, particularly among older
adults and children.
Common Causes of TBI: Falls, MVAs, sports injuries, and assaults.
Non-TBI Causes: Include strokes, infectious diseases, seizures, and tumors (from
chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery).
Risk Factors: Age, substance abuse (notably alcohol), intimate partner violence, military
actions, and previous brain injuries.
Brain Injury Severity and Screening
Brain injury severity is categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on loss of consciousness
(LOC) and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores.
INJURY SPECIALIST STUDY GUIDE
Chapter 1: Brain Injury Overview
Acquired and Traumatic Brain Injury
Brain injury is often referred to as a "silent epidemic" due to the subtlety of its symptoms, which
can include memory and cognitive issues that are not immediately apparent.
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI): Refers to brain injuries that occur after birth, encompassing
both external physical forces and internal insults.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): A subset of ABI caused by external forces, such as falls,
motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), sports injuries, and assaults.
Types of Brain Injury
Traumatic Impact: Injuries can be classified into contact and non-contact injuries.
Contact Injury: Occurs when the head is struck by or against an object, leading to
immediate damage.
Non-Contact Injury: Involves the brain moving within the skull, often resulting in coup-
contrecoup injuries where damage occurs at both the site of impact and the opposite
side.
Causes and Risk Factors of TBI
The most common cause of brain injury, according to the CDC, is falls, particularly among older
adults and children.
Common Causes of TBI: Falls, MVAs, sports injuries, and assaults.
Non-TBI Causes: Include strokes, infectious diseases, seizures, and tumors (from
chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery).
Risk Factors: Age, substance abuse (notably alcohol), intimate partner violence, military
actions, and previous brain injuries.
Brain Injury Severity and Screening
Brain injury severity is categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on loss of consciousness
(LOC) and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores.
