Actress Anne Heche attends the WIN Awards at Santa Monica Bay Womans Club on December 11, 2013 in Santa Monica, California.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
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Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Actress Anne Heche attends the WIN Awards at Santa Monica Bay Womans Club on December 11, 2013 in Santa Monica, California.
Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images
Actress Anne Heche has been on life support and is not expected to survive after crashing her car into two homes last Friday, her family told Deadline.
Heche, 53, has been hospitalized since the accident, where she was allegedly speeding in her blue Mini Cooper and crashed into one home and then another, leaving the second in flames.
She is suffering from an anoxic brain injury. How does that affect the body?
Anoxic brain injury
Anoxic brain injuries happen when all oxygen is cut off from the brain. After about four minutes of losing oxygen supply, brain cells begin to die off, according to the Shepherd Center, a private, nonprofit hospital in Atlanta.
Hypoxic brain injury
Hypoxic brain injuries happen when there is a partial restriction of oxygen to the brain. That restriction causes gradual damage and death to brain cells.
Causes of brain injuries
Brain injuries do not necessarily originate in the brain. They can be caused due to any physical trauma that affects the body’s ability to take in oxygen, such as a stroke or trauma to the lungs.
Symptoms of brain injuries
Things to look for that could signal a brain injury include both physical limitations and behavioral changes, such as:
Headaches Vision issues Aphrasia (difficulty speaking) Changes in sleep patterns Seizures Memory problems Depression Trouble focusing Mood swings
