ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Epidemiology Neurotrauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and yet in many cases an avoidable one, being a reflection of the availability of fast, personal transport accounting for many road traffic accidents; the easy availability of firearms in many societies; casual violence in society, often fuelled by alcohol; and the lax approach to health and safety in some countries. In western societies, road traffic accident-related neurotrauma has been in decline over the past few decades. However, in developing countries, where medical care is often already overstretched, the incidence has been increasing.364 The human brain is highly vulnerable to injury, and injury can compromise the quality of life through profound cognitive and neurobehavioral dysfunction.86 Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an overwhelming and major global public health problem and one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in both industrialized and developing countries.415 Estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate 57 million people internationally have been hospitalized with one or more TBIs.326
