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Neurology Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussion (NTBIC) Program

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is clinically diverse and life changing. It occurs when an external force — a bump, blow, jolt or penetrating object — injures the brain. A TBI can result in a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities depending on the severity and complexity of the injury.

At UCI Health, our Neurology Traumatic Brain Injury & Concussion (NTBIC) program — the only one of its kind in Southern California — aims to provide accessible, integrated, solidified and long-term care to patients who have experienced a TBI. 

TBI and concussion recovery is complex and dynamic, but can be accomplished with early, long-term care. The NBTIC program includes an in-hospital consultation team and dedicated TBI and concussion clinic.

The NTBIC clinic serves patients who: 

  • have transferred from inpatient to outpatient care, 
  • have had a recent concussion and were discharged from UCI Health or emergency departments,
  • have post-concussive syndrome, and
  • retired or aging patients with a history of high-risk TBI or concussion

Every year, traumatic brain injuries are a factor in many deaths and cases of permanent disability, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2010 alone, 2.5-million cases of TBI were reported in the United States. 

TBIs can range from mild — as in a concussion — to severe. A mild brain injury may cause temporary dysfunction of brain cells, whereas more serious injury can cause severe bruising or bleeding in the brain that could lead to serious long-term complications.

A TBI can cause several symptoms affecting physical, cognitive, social and emotional behavior.  

It is vital to seek immediate medical attention after a head trauma to avoid long-term injury to the brain and future complications.

For more information on traumatic brain injury, call UCI Health Neurology Services at 714-456-6966 or 855-557-1531.

Physical signs of mild TBI

Physical signs of mild traumatic injury to the brain can include:

  • Headache
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Lack of motor coordination
  • Dizziness
  • Difficulty balancing
  • Light-headedness
  • Blurred vision
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Bad taste in the mouth
  • Fatigue or lethargy
  • Changes in sleep patterns

Cognitive and emotional symptoms

TBI is often accompanied by emotional or cognitive difficulties, including:

  • Behavioral or mood changes
  • Confusion
  • Trouble with memory
  • Trouble concentrating or thinking

Symptoms of more severe brain injury

Signs of a more severe trauma to the brain include:

  • A persistent headache that does not go away
  • Repeated vomiting or nausea
  • Convulsions
  • Inability to awaken
  • Dilation of one or both pupils
  • Slurred speech
  • Aphasia (difficulty finding words)
  • Muscle weakness that causes disordered speech
  • Weakness or numbness in the limbs
  • Loss of coordination
  • Confusion
  • Restlessness or agitation

Other symptoms of severe TBI include changes in appropriate social behavior, deficits in social judgment and cognitive changes, especially problems with sustained attention, information processing and executive functioning.

UCI Health neurologists specialize in treatment of all disorders and conditions of the nervous system and oversee a state-of-the-art neuro-intensive care unit at UCI Medical Center. In addition, our devoted neurologists have earned UCI Health many distinctions and are among the best at what they do. Their expertise and research into neurological disorders have been nationally and internationally recognized.

Outpatient and Inpatient Services

The NTBIC program at UCI Health offers both inpatient and outpatient care for individuals suffering from TBI or concussion. Individuals who reach UCI Health through the emergency room or are admitted will be seen by our physician team for a variety of specialized inpatient services to care for them, including TBI specific neurologic-monitoring and therapies.

In the outpatient clinic setting, the NTBIC program offers individualized, comprehensive and holistic approaches for symptoms. Our team utilizes the latest research, technology and medical literature to develop an ongoing treatment plan. In addition, our NTBIC team will connect patients to a unique collaborative network of UCI Health TBI-dedicated specialists across TBI symptoms, which can include fatigue, headache, cognitive symptoms, vestibular symptoms, ophthalmologic symptoms and mood or sleep issues.

Moderately to severely injured patients may also receive rehabilitation that includes:

  • Physical therapy
  • Physiatry (physical medicine)
  • Psychology/psychiatry
  • Speech/language therapy
  • Social support
  • Occupational therapy
  • Cognitive rehabilitation

The NTBIC program is directed and founded by UCI Health board-certified neurologist Patrick Chen, MD, and clinical neuropsychologist Michael Lopez, PhD.

Chen, a neuro-intensive care subspecialist, specializes in the treatment of TBI and concussion across all severities, and Lopez, a clinical neuropsychologist, conducts comprehensive neurocognitive assessments and conducts cognitive rehabilitation for individuals who have had a TBI.

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