Ethanol exposure and traumatic brain injury

By Dr Jodie Abramovitch

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important health issue, being a major cause of death and disability worldwide. When a TBI occurs in the absence of injury to the rest of the body, it is known as an isolated TBI (iTBI). Ethanol exposure or intoxication is commonly associated with iTBI. However, following injury, the effects of ethanol in the brain are unknown.

How does ethanol affect the brain?

Researchers from the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (DEPM) and the Department of Surgery, alongside colleagues from the Alfred Hospital’s Emergency and Trauma Centre and National Trauma Research Institute, have recently investigated the association between ethanol exposure leading to iTBI and in-hospital mortality rates.