What Is Excitotoxicity?

After a brain injury, it's easy to think the worst is over. 

But what if it's not? What if, days or weeks later, your loved one starts getting confused, emotional, or forgetful, and no one tells you why?

What you're seeing could be related to excitotoxicity. This type of secondary brain injury can make things worse when it goes unrecognized or untreated.

You need answers. Let's get to them.

Here's what's happening inside the brain, the symptoms to watch for, and what to do if your loved one's injury came from an accident that should never have happened.

To get more information and arrange a free case review, give the Brain Injury Law Center a call at (757) 244-7000 or contact us online.

How Excitotoxicity Happens After a Brain Injury

After a traumatic brain injury (TBI), some of the most serious damage doesn't happen at the moment of impact. It happens after.

In the hours or days following the injury, damaged brain cells can release too much of a chemical called glutamate, which is essential to brain function. But in high amounts, glutamate overstimulates surrounding cells, keeping them active far longer than they should be.

This overactivity puts those brain cells under intense stress, disrupting normal communication and damaging delicate brain tissue. That process is called excitotoxicity.

It's the body's attempt to recover from trauma, and it backfires.

Excitotoxicity is one reason some brain injury survivors seem to get worse after initially stabilizing. It's also one of the most dangerous forms of secondary brain injury, meaning it unfolds after the accident itself, quietly and often without warning.

What Causes Excitotoxicity?

Wondering what causes excitotoxicity in the first place?

It all begins with trauma. When the brain is jolted, hit, or shaken, whether in a car accident, fall, or workplace injury, neurons can become unstable. Damaged neurons "leak" glutamate in an attempt to protect themselves, but this chemical overload triggers a dangerous chain reaction.

The most common events that can lead to excitotoxicity include:

• Car accidents, particularly those involving whiplash, rollovers, or high-speed impacts;
• Motorcycle crashes, even when the rider was wearing a helmet;
• Falls from unsafe surfaces, like broken stairs, icy sidewalks, or poor lighting;
• Workplace accidents, such as being hit by falling objects or equipment malfunctions; and
• Any sudden blow to the head.

While these events don't always involve visible wounds, they can cause internal damage that worsens over time. And because excitotoxicity happens at the cellular level, traditional scans may not detect it immediately.

That's why careful observation and follow-up care are so important when symptoms appear or intensify after the initial recovery period.

Excitotoxicity Symptoms Families Should Know

What should you be looking for?

Excitotoxicity symptoms can look a lot like post-concussion issues or more general brain injury signs, but they tend to show up days or weeks after the incident, or they may get worse when the person should be getting better.

Here are some of the most common symptoms families report noticing:

• Memory issues, such as forgetfulness with recent events or basic instructions;
• Emotional changes, including irritability, mood swings, or sudden emotional outbursts;
• Confusion or disorientation, like getting lost in familiar places or losing track of time;
• Muscle stiffness or weakness that affects fine motor skills or overall mobility;
• Speech difficulties, including slurred speech or trouble finding the right words;
• Seizures, especially if they are new or unexplained; and
• Sensitivity to noise, light, or motion, where even a short trip to the store may trigger nausea or dizziness.

If your loved one starts showing these signs or they don't improve after a head injury, it may indicate a deeper issue like excitotoxicity that requires more specific medical attention.

When excitotoxicity symptoms start to appear after a brain injury, your family deserves clear answers and strong legal support. The Brain Injury Law Center helps clients take action after severe trauma changes the course of their lives. 

Call (757) 244-7000 or get in touch with us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced brain injury attorney.

What Are Excitotoxins?

In your search for answers, you may come across the term' excitotoxins.' But what are excitotoxins, and how do they relate to a brain injury?

Excitotoxins are substances (either natural or artificial) that increase the effect of glutamate in the brain. They essentially "supercharge" the same damaging process behind excitotoxicity. In lab situations, excitotoxins are used to study brain degeneration.

However, in brain injury cases, it's not usually a substance from outside the body that's the problem. It's the body producing too much of its own glutamate in response to trauma.

That means the real danger isn't exposure—it's internal chemistry triggered by injury. Some environmental exposures may aggravate brain function after trauma, but recovery challenges are usually driven by what's going on inside the brain itself.

Diagnosing and Treating Post-Traumatic Excitotoxicity

Your doctor may not formally diagnose "excitotoxicity," partly because it's difficult to test for directly. Instead, medical teams look for signs of swelling, seizure activity, increased intracranial pressure, or neurological symptoms associated with brain cell overactivity.

Some of the treatments used to address these conditions may include:

• Anti-seizure medications to prevent or reduce overstimulation,
• Osmotic agents or diuretics to reduce swelling around the brain,
• Sedation or ventilation to allow the brain time to rest and heal,
• Surgery in cases involving fluid buildup or blood clots (hematomas), and
• Neuroprotective agents (in some patients) to defend cells at risk.

Early action can make a significant difference. While excitotoxicity can cause damage that isn't reversible, treatment may limit that damage and protect healthy cells from being affected.

How Excitotoxic Brain Injuries After an Accident Change Daily Life

Excitotoxicity affects not only brain cells. It changes a person's daily life in ways that are easy to miss at first. Someone who once handled morning routines without effort may now struggle to stay organized. Small structures families count on, such as shared calendars, mealtime habits, and even inside jokes, can start to fall apart.

Families who searched what is excitotoxicity often start to notice the gap between who their loved one was before the injury and how they're functioning now. The changes may not always look dramatic, but they add up.

Here are a few examples:

• A parent forgets the route to school and needs GPS for a drive they've done hundreds of times.
• A spouse zones out mid-conversation, then asks the same question again minutes later.
• Grocery trips take twice as long because the person can't follow a list or gets overwhelmed by crowds and noise.
• Someone who used to multitask easily now needs reminders for every step of a simple task, like starting laundry or paying bills.
• Evening plans get canceled more often, not because of pain but because of exhaustion that hits by mid-afternoon.

These experiences may not always show up on a medical chart, but they shape recovery in very real ways. They also take a toll on caregivers, who often juggle their own responsibilities while filling in the gaps. Support, structure, and patience become essential for healing and maintaining everyday life.

When Someone Else Is Responsible

The hardest part?

In many cases, the brain injury could have been prevented. Your loved one may have been hurt because of someone else's negligence, such as:

• A distracted or drunk driver,
• A trucking company that failed to follow safety protocols,
• A property owner who ignored dangerous conditions, or
• A job site that didn't provide proper fall protection.

Your family shouldn't have to manage the financial, physical, and emotional impact without support. If someone else was responsible, you have the right to seek answers and pursue compensation.

How Our Brain Injury Attorneys Help Families Dealing With Excitotoxicity

Families across Virginia and throughout the country turn to the Brain Injury Law Center when the aftermath of a brain injury becomes overwhelming. We help clients living with the long-term effects of trauma, including secondary complications like excitotoxicity, fight for the resources they need to move forward.

Our team helps families pursue compensation for:

• Long-term rehabilitation and therapy,
• In-home care or assisted living arrangements,
• Lost income and reduced future earning potential,
• Home or vehicle modifications, and
• Pain, suffering, and emotional hardship.

We understand how excitotoxicity can worsen over time and how that impacts both your recovery and financial future. No matter how the injury happened—a car crash, a fall, or a workplace accident—we're here to make sure your story isn't overlooked or undervalued.

Talk to a Brain Injury Lawyer Who Understands What You're Facing

Knowing what is excitotoxicity may give you insight into what's happening neurologically, but navigating life after a brain injury isn't something you should have to do alone.

If someone else's choices led to the trauma, you have the right to hold them accountable.

At the Brain Injury Law Center, we have spent more than 75 years representing individuals and families affected by traumatic brain injuries. Our team has recovered over $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for clients facing long recoveries, lifelong impairments, and hidden complications like excitotoxicity.

Brain injury law is the only kind of law we practice. That focus gives us a deeper understanding of the medical issues, long-term costs, and daily realities that most firms overlook. We know how to build a strong case that reflects the true scope of what your family is dealing with.

Call the Brain Injury Law Center today to schedule your free case review. You can reach us at (757) 244-7000 or message us online.