Translational considerations for behavioral impairment and rehabilitation strategies after diffuse traumatic brain injury

Millions of diffuse traumatic brain injuries (TBI) occur annually through sports-related incidents, motor vehicle accidents, falls and violence; many of which are never reported. Post-concussive symptoms can last from days to years post-injury and include cognitive, behavioral, motor, emotional and social deficits. Some symptoms manifest long after acute symptoms have subsided; hindering a distinct connection between the symptoms and brain injury event. These chronic and debilitating post-concussive symptoms can negatively impact the patient’s ability to maintain pre-injury skills required for employment and relationships; significantly reducing their quality of life. At this time, rehabilitation has not been extensively evaluated in an experimental model of diffuse traumatic brain injury (dTBI). This chapter discusses clinical and experimental approaches of rehabilitation after brain injury that should be considered in the evaluation of experimental models of diffuse TBI. The consolidation of this knowledge can streamline and optimize rehabilitation approaches to minimize or compensate for chronic post-concussive symptoms.