Introduction Phineas Gage, age 25, became the most notable case of traumatic brain injury of the 19th century. With over 1.7 million people suffering an injury every year, why does this case become so interesting? The reason for this is the result of the injury. When Gage forced the tampering rod into his skull, his personality completely changed. From a once mild-mannered individual to a foul-mouthed and persistent person, Gage has become an interesting case in history. Gage opens us up with our topic of traumatic brain injury (TBI) because in the United States there are approximately 50,000 deaths, 270,000 hospitalizations, and 1.36 million who are treated and released to go home (Alzheimers Organization, 2014). A head injury is defined as when an external mechanical force causes brain dysfunction. Causes There are many different causes of traumatic brain injury. When a person falls, has an accident, or gets hurt while playing a sport, there is always the possibility of brain injury. “People aged 75 and older have the highest rates of traumatic brain injury-related hospitalization and death due to falls.” (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2013) There are three different levels of TBI that doctors are known to classify them into. These include mild, moderate and severe. A fall from 20 feet (2 stories) onto a sturdy surface for an adult, or a fall from more than 10 feet (2-3 times the child's height) for a child, can cause serious injury to the adult and child . (Mistovich & Karren, 2010) The chance of having a mild head injury is much more common than having a serious injury. This doesn't mean the injury won't last long. Doctors are able to determine how serious an injection is... in the middle of pieces of paper ......being pressed into brain tissue; the other involves a distinct lesion localized to the brain; such as from a bullet. Skull fractures called contusions cause a distinct area of ​​swollen brain tissue mixed with broken blood vessels. When a brain is shaken back and forth within the confines of the skull, the injury is called a Ceiling. This often occurs in a high-speed car crash and shaken baby syndrome. This type of injury can also cause nerve injury and loss of connections between nerves called clipping. Contusions can lead to fewer connections in the brain. A hematoma is another type of symptom that someone with a head injury may have. This happens when there is heavy bleeding in or around the brain. Works Cited http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tbi/detail_tbi.htm http://www.alz.org/dementia/traumatic-brain-injury- testa-trauma-sintomi.asp