High IQ after brain injury ??

[samsjw]

Hello I've recently (within last year) been told I have diffuse axonal brain injury caused from a car accident 11 yrs ago, I was not CT scanned at time of accident (another story). In the 10 yrs since, I've lost relationships, partner, friends and jobs, I've struggled through life and only now allow myself some self care and forgiveness. My question is, ...... When I found out about the injury I asked them for an IQ assessment, the results shocked me, has anyone else found their IQ to have RISEN through brain injury??? I am really struggling with just the concept alone 😞

[Shreds]

Dont tell everyone, they will all want it! 😀

Seriously though reading some background on neuro issues it is clear that occasionally improvements in neuro linkages can occur. (I found I could use my left hand much more than before, almost ambidextrous), so dont stress over it. Consider it a blessing.

Of course previous tests may have been incorrect or held under different conditions or stresses, but I am only hypothesising. I am not a medical professional.

A book on concussion and BI, I was recommended on here, is a fascinating read especially when you get beyond the introductory chapters. I have yet to read all its 600 pages, but certainly worth looking at for gaining understanding.

[Mads1975 in reply to Shreds]

I’d love to know the name of the book and author Shreds?

[Shreds in reply to Mads1975]

“Concussuon, Traumatic Brain Injury from head to tail: A silent epidemic” by Kester J Nedd. Archway Publishing. ISBN 978 1480 886 957

Around £27 hardback or e-book too, on Amazon etc

An easy read for the first hundred or so pages, then it gets really detailed and interesting.

Even the Author acknowledges many will want to re-read the detailed chapters to absorb a full understanding.

[Mads1975 in reply to Mads1975]

Thank you, I’ll check it out

[pinkvision]

IQ is conceptual, generally left hemisphere of the brain. How is your emotional side? Is that the part that you struggle with? Genuinely interested.

[samsjw in reply to pinkvision]

Hi well my "fuse" was near non existent, didn't take much for me to get frustrated with things , people etc. Only since finding out about the brain injury and reading a few books recommended by a counselor have I managed to reign in "Aggy" (yes I have a name for that side of me). At the same time as this I changed my career and now have a career that actually uses my "special skill" and you know what... I've never been happier.

I know "me" more than I ever have .

[pinkvision in reply to samsjw]

What's the special skill, what's the new career?

[sospan]

IQ and intelligence is always an interesting debate. Having worked with many highly qualified and hyper "intelligent" people over the years, I was constantly surprised that many of them were able to navigate their way into work each day and have their shoes on the correct feet!

Your IQ may well have risen since your injury, not so much by the injury but because of your age and also what you have done deliberately and inadvertently since then - reading, jigsaws, practical things even enjoying music can all "develop" you IQ. It doesn't mean you are necessarily more intelligent but that you are more able and capable to interpret the questions and provide the correct answers. Which in itself is a big boost.

What people must be wary of is the "brain training" schemes and the hype surrounding them. Whilst most people will see some improvement it isn't as much as the marketing around them shows. I took part in some studies and found that after a few weeks peoples development leveled off and it became more of a past time.

Oddly the top tools to benefit people were the simplest and more traditional ones : jigsaws, word search, crosswords and playing cards.

We make and sell several puzzles. One of which is a Soma cube which made up of 7 pieces that you have to assemble into a cube. Most people can eventually assemble it. However, the big "intelligence" and psychological test is to assemble it in a different way. It is this that proves the real challenge around brain plasticity, can a persons brain adapt from experience and adapt to a method.

But you can still feel smug about your boosted score - well done !

[pinkvision in reply to sospan]

I love the last bit, it reminds me of the krypton factor, where it seemed farmers and builders were always better at solving real life tasks, while academics could remember lists and methods but could not solve the tasks. The farmers and builders could not remember the the lists and methods. Finding the balance between the two is intelligence. Farmers and builders have repetitively trained automatic skills and academics have good memories. Moulding the two is key.

[samsjw in reply to sospan]

After the accident and following proceedings, I took myself off to the gym and in 2016 became the first disabled UK and European competitive female bodybuilder, and then a judge for the same federation (unbeknownst to me using my special skill ) I seem to Excell alot at "fixing things" be it temporarily if something breaks or happens at work, I can find ways around things to get the job done and as for noticing things , my brain does not stop, I was also told borderline A.D.D so when the brain fatigue hits I'm almost grateful lol

[sospan in reply to samsjw]

The noticing things, I had a natural ability and was expanded through training over over the years, Items within a room, peoples expressions or the way they said things or behaved.

Then when I had my injury, conditioning made me behave the same way but my brain could no longer cope with the level of input and I used to get overloaded very quickly.

Neurological/psychological assessments were a complete nightmare because I could predict the answers before they had finished the questions. At one point we went into full blown Bourne Identity when I told one consultant that a lady carrying a heavy parcel was going to knock on the door in a few seconds and she did.

They couldn't understand how I could distinguish the sounds of a persons footsteps and answer questions at the same time and why I would do it in the first place. Then do the full Sherlock Holmes observational story about them and their room but when asked to spell a word backwords, fail dismally.

[Hidden]

You may benefit from reading ‘The brain that changes itself’ by Norman Doidge. Essentially, it’s about neuro pathways that can develop following brain injury/damage. (neuroplasticity)

Sospan is right, there certainly is ongoing debate about the validity of IQ assessments. I do know that IQ questions are skewed, as they are based on academic education and are culturally biased.

Hopefully, the confusion/losses you have endured over the past decade, will not be such a heavy burden for you from now on.

[AndrewT]

Dear samsjw,

I can only answer you, in terms of my own- probably fairly unique- experiences.

I suffered a Major Collapse, way back, in 1997, with several 'Strokes' happening Simultaneously Across my Brain- if this sounds 'Impossible', I think that it IS!

It has left me with Severe Brain Damage.... and YES I should be Dead, but I'm NOT.

I had a, very detailed, Brain Function Assessment, in the early 2000's, which Showed that my Memory was effected in several ways. Mainly I could not recall 'Seemingly Unrelated' Facts. I was, at that time told, that 'The Condition Is Progressive'- in other words I would get Worse, over time.

In 2019 I had another, very detailed, assessment- by another Specialist, who had seen the other Report, I believe. These Results were, even more Interesting.... my Score for Cognitive Function was actually Quite 'Poor' BUT... this was based on Cognition Time NOT Accuracy. In other words I was Very 'Slow' but also highly Accurate. Seamus, the 'Assessor' did NOT think this was Dementia- just the result of the Brain Damage. He explained it thus.... imagine you have a computer, that has had an Accident- some 'twit' dropped it down the stairs.

The Computer IS, very clearly, damaged....but it is the BIOS/ Mother Board rather than the Processor itself. It's Connections, Calculating Power and Basic Processes are unaffected- however the SPEED, at which, this information can be 'Sent' is considerably Impeded. I was due a 'Follow Up' Early This Year....... May be September....Maybe.

The precise effect on IQ, which is Inelegance Quota, is difficult to predict. in actual fact assessing an IQ, following a Brain Injury, is VERY Difficult Indeed. You will probably, as I have had to, Attend 'multiple times'... an 'odd' result is, in itself, effectively meaningless.

It might be Worth Your While, seeing if you can get, such a Scan/ Assessment if you are able- though how Available they will be, Post Covid, I can't say. I was Lucky enough to get my Assessments 'Done' through the NHS (I live in England). You don't say where you are from Sam so, as regards Availability/ Cost/ Referrals I honestly don't know. However a 'Talk', whenever you can, with your own Doctor(s)/ Consultant(s), is probably a Good 'Starting Point'.

Sorry that I couldn't be 'much help', on your Actual question but, I hope, this information is Useful at least. Can I finish by wishing you...

Good Luck

AndrewT

[Painting-girl in reply to AndrewT]

Hi Andrew, I've read a study that found that intelligent people react to a BI by becoming slower, but not losing accuracy - with the benefit of hindsight (wonderful thing) I think that's what happened to me after my first concussion. Love the explanation you were given! 😊

[Painting-girl]

Hello samsjw, - I'm sorry to hear about the difficulties you've had, I think others here have had similar experiences sadly.

I was told that IQ isn't impacted by a BI - it's just the processing that goes awry as Andrew said. What you may find useful is a neuropsychologist assessment,which will flag up what sort of things might be difficult for you and why - though you have probably worked out most of that for yourself by now. For me, decision making is hard.

Picking up on what the others have said here as well, I did do some of the brain training stuff anyone can buy online and, being me, graphed my daily results on a spreadsheet.. it did show my maths ability declining sharply (depressing for a maths grad...) and my problem solving skills increasing like crazy (possibly I was just mapping some brain plasticity going on in the background).

My guess is that our problem solving abilities have to improve to continue to function in the strange world we live in after a BI - and for you (as every injury is different) this improved your ability to handle the IQ test non verbal reasoning questions - which form quite a large part of it - and are essentially problem solving. So your scores would go up. As I say - just a guess - though an encouraging result for you!

As Sospan says, commercial ' brain training' is only a very small part of training the brain. I think there are studies that show 'brain training' is just on a par with any computer games -and adventure type computer/phone gaming is particularly good for the brain - but reading novels is probably better! The other issue for us to be aware of I suppose, is that braintraining is likely to be quite fatiguing - my original diy efforts for self help ( 10-15 minutes on a my crosstrainer followed by 30 mins on braintraining probably knocked me out for the day...)

Here's a quick sample of stuff on the web! ( Predictably I now can't find the specific references to novels v computer games v brain training!) So I'm off to look for a jigsaw!

kids.frontiersin.org/articl...

oedb.org/ilibrarian/your-br...

patient.info/news-and-featu...

fastcompany.com/40451692/th...

healthline.com/health/menta...

labroots.com/trending/neuro...

[Nerdbloke]

From my own experience I haven't noticed a difference in IQ. I find things harder to understand and my lateral thinking is impaired but I have new creative skills I didn't have before such as photography an creative writing none of which I did before. Like you I also had a diffuse axonal injury which doesn't show up on a CT or MRI. It's microscopic tearing a shearing of the brain. It's diagnosed by the specific symptoms you experienced.