A traumatic brain injury is defined as an acquired brain injury caused by an applied force resulting in widespread damage to cortical and subcortical structures. Which option best matches this definition?

• A. Acquired brain injury due to an applied force that results in widespread damage to cortical and subcortical structures.
• B. Compensation after a concussion without structural damage
• C. Injury to peripheral nerves causing weakness
• D. Infectious disease affecting the brain temporarily

Answer: (A)

Traumatic brain injury is defined by an external force causing an acquired brain injury with widespread damage across both cortical and subcortical structures. The statement that matches this exactly includes both elements: the injury is acquired, it results from an applied force, and the damage is widespread to cortical and subcortical areas. This alignment makes it the best choice because it captures the full mechanism and the pattern of brain involvement described in the definition.

Why the others don’t fit: a concussion without structural damage wouldn’t meet the “widespread damage to cortical and subcortical structures” part; injury to peripheral nerves affects the peripheral nervous system, not the brain; and an infectious brain illness isn’t caused by an applied external force and isn’t defined by that specific widespread brain damage pattern.