Causes
Brain injuries occur due to a very wide range of conditions, illnesses, injuries, and as a result of iatrogenesis (adverse effects of medical treatment). Possible causes of widespread (diffuse) brain damage include prolonged hypoxia (shortage of oxygen), poisoning by teratogens (including alcohol), infection, and neurological illness. Chemotherapy can cause brain damage to the neural stem cells and oligodendrocyte cells that produce myelin. Common causes of focal or localized brain damage are physical trauma (traumatic brain injury, stroke, aneurysm, surgery, other neurological disorder), and heavy metals causing poisoning including mercury and its compounds of lead.
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