The brain's consistency is very soft... similar to Jello. The brain floats in cerebral spinal fluid inside the skull. Much of the damage that develops in closed (non-penetrating) head injuries is not from the point of impact or coup... but rather occurs on the opposite side of the point of impact or contra coup as well as throughout the brain. When there is a blow to the head, abrupt high-speed stop or violent shaking (Shaken Baby Syndrome)... the brain bounces (non-technical term is brain slosh) within the skull and hits up against bony protrusions on the inside of the skull resulting in damage. Further and more diffuse damage is caused in coup contra coup injuries as a result of brain shearing whereby the ricocheting motion of the brain results in damage to the axonal connections. This also triggers a chemical cascade that contribute to swelling, cell death (apoptosis) and disruption of neurotransmitters. Additionally... metabolic disruptions lead to further damage... likely far more so than what is presently understood.


http://www.neuroskills.com/swfcoup.html



http://catalog.nucleusinc.com/displaymonograph.php?MID=12



http://www.biaf.org/documents/Learning_About_TBI.pdf


The good news is the brain and nervous system has the ability to heal far beyond what was previously thought possible!