Every year, there are more than 2.8 million traumatic brain injuries in the U.S.

The risks of brain injury among young athletes, pro football players, and members of the military

have made headlines in recent years. But other populations are at increased risk as well,

including people in the criminal justice system and domestic violence survivors.

Today we're going to talk to a neuropsychologist about what researchers are learning about

the prevalence of brain injury and how best to prevent and treat it.

So what constitutes a traumatic brain injury?

How common are TBIs? What happens to the brain when you get a concussion?

What should we be doing to help protect athletes from brain injuries from youth sports to professional leagues?

What effective therapies do we have to help people recover from TBI and what could we be doing to mitigate the harms of brain injury in often

overlooked populations such as domestic violence survivors and prison inmates.

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association that examines

the links between psychological science and everyday life. I'm Kim Mills. My guest today is Dr. Kim

Gorgens, a professor of psychology at the University of Denver, where she teaches psychophysiology,

clinical neuropsychology, and the psychology

of criminal behavior. She has worked for decades studying and treating brain injuries in populations,

including youth athletes, prison inmates, and survivors of domestic violence. In addition to her research,

clinical work, and teaching, she's an advocate for TBI awareness and

helped draft a 2020 concussion law in Colorado. She also lectures and speaks frequently to the

media about brain injury, and her work has been featured in outlets including US News,

Newsweek, and Scientific American. Dr. Gorgans, thank you for joining me today.

Kim, it's such a pleasure. Thank you so much

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