Brain Tearing
In an accident, the brain is often violently tossed around inside the skull. As discussed above with regard to brain bruises, the force of an accident can cause the brain to be thrown forward against the skull and then bounce backward against the opposite side. In addition to bruising, this type of “contra-coup” injury can also lead to tearing of the delicate brain tissue and nerve fibers. These brain tears can result from the impact(s) against the skull, the whipping motions and/or the shock wave-like effect of the energy being transferred outward from the point of impact. Tearing in the brain happens at the microscopic level and is very difficult to detect even with medical devices like CT scans and MRIs.
