NASEM Publication Reinforces Scientific Understanding of the Chronic Effects of Brain Injury

The National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) recently published Examining Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as a Chronic Condition, which shares the proceedings of a workshop held earlier this year on the chronic nature of TBI.

The workshop was hosted by the Forum on Traumatic Brain Injury and explored the state of knowledge regarding the chronic nature of TBI and strategies to improve care and outcomes for people living with its long-term effects. Leading subject matter experts on brain injury, including Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) board members Kelli Talley, PhD, Dr. Owen Perlman, and John Corrigan, PhD, contributed to the workshop. The Brain Injury Association of America has been leading the call to recognize brain injury as a chronic health condition and was an early advocate for the workshop.

“The proceedings reinforce the consensus in the field that brain injury is a chronic condition,” said Dr. Corrigan, BIAA’s national research director and professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at The Ohio State University. “However, it also underscores how much work is needed to get brain injury treated like a chronic condition by healthcare professionals, insurers, and policymakers.”

The workshop and resulting proceedings analyzed the chronic effects of brain injury by exploring the scientific evidence of the chronic nature of TBI, examining rehabilitative care and specialized services for people with long-term effects of TBI, and identifying opportunities to advance research and improve care.

“As someone with lived experience managing complications from a severe traumatic brain injury for over 35 years, the NASEM publication provides a vital link between clinical research, policy discussions, and the real-life experiences of people affected by TBI who understand its long-term effects,” said Dr. Talley, an associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling at Virginia Commonwealth University and BIAA board member. “This will lead to the much-needed community resources that are currently very limited and necessary for addressing the chronic nature of TBI.”

Key findings of the scientific evidence of the chronic nature of TBI highlighted during the workshop include:

• TBI can frequently introduce long-term dynamic changes in cognitive, emotional, and physical functions, which align with accepted definitions of chronic health conditions.
• Individuals with TBI experience persistent symptoms, with approximately 50 percent undergoing dynamic outcome changes. Chronic TBI may affect up to 18 percent of adults in the U.S.
• Classifying TBI as a chronic condition can improve healthcare understanding and delivery, expand access to insurance coverage, and expand access to neurologically informed care.

The Brain Injury Association of America will continue to share findings of this workshop and what it means for the brain injury community over the coming weeks and months. In early 2026, BIAA will host a webinar to explore this topic even further.

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