Assessment and Treatment of Traumatic Brain/Head Injury in Survivors of Torture

Traumatic Head/Brain injury is a common impact of torture. THI/TBI can be a very debilitating illness not only associated with high rates of PTSD and depression but also major functional and cognitive deficits and physical disabilities. Every torture survivor needs a THI/TBI check in. This webinar presents the important history of the diagnosis of THI/TBI in the torture field beginning with Dr. Leo Ettinger’s pioneering work with holocaust survivors in Norway in the 1950s and Dr. Richard Mollica’s team’s recent neuroimaging studies at Harvard. Recognition of the heterogeneous symptoms of THI/TBI will be taught, including variations based on the nature of injury, mechanism of injury, and severity of injury. Common tools for screening THI/TBI will be presented, alongside potential interventions used to treat symptoms and recognize when and where to refer people with THI/TBI for evaluation and treatment.