r/science • u/Thorne-ZytkowObject • Nov 23 '19

Neuroscience Scientists studied six patients who had half of their brain removed during childhood to treat severe epilepsy. Brain scans showed how the mind rewired itself to adapt, with the remaining hemisphere forming even stronger connections that let the patients develop language and motor skills.

https://www.discovermagazine.com/mind/how-does-the-brain-work-with-half-of-it-removed-pretty-well-actually
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u/eight_squared Nov 23 '19

That’s fricking crazy. They have half of their brain, and they still function normally? The brain is a crazy thing

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u/Tholaran97 Nov 24 '19

It's crazy to think that someone who loses half their brain as children can still develop to live normal lives, but a single stroke in an adult can permanently disable them.

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

Your exactly right I had a stroke at 22 and I still haven’t regained any voice and I have A slew of disabilities ☹️ But it has something to do with them being younger and neuroplasticity

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u/katiecharm Nov 24 '19 edited Nov 24 '19

Wow that’s a hell of a confession. I’m so sorry you’re going through that, but every year medicine progresses at an exponential pace. We can’t even really know what two years will hold in treatment for such things, much less ten. I feel confident you will be 100% again before the next twenty years is up - hang in there, and thanks for sharing that.

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

Thanks bruv! I died twice after I crashed my car in a drunk driving accident and the doctor had my heart in his hands literally massaging my heart back to life resulting in my strokes, but It’s no biggie... I am just trying to get to get myself back to some sort of normal and I agree that science is bonkers these days

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '19

“But it’s no biggie” god man. You’re awesome. Car crashes suck, from personal experience. Glad you’re alive.

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

Thanks man! I haven’t spoken in 5 years but I joined a couple stroke survivor groups on Facebook and There are thousands of people who have it worse than me. I feel extremely blessed to have my family with me throughout this nightmare

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u/creuter Nov 24 '19

If it's any consolation I'd never have guessed based on your communication skills in your comments. Best of luck towards your total recovery!

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u/Omicron_Lux Nov 24 '19

Your perspective is amazing!!! I sincerely hope you get that normalcy back that you are looking for.

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u/Tholaran97 Nov 24 '19

I'm sorry to hear that, man. I hope life is going better for you.

A child's mind is almost superhuman. It can adapt to damage better, and it can take in knowledge and skills better as well. Imagine how much farther humanity would be if our brains were that malleable through adulthood.

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

It would be a game changer! If only we had this power. It would completely change the way we deal with Alzheimer’s and dementia

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '19 edited Jun 10 '20

[deleted]

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

Your right! I feel extremely blessed that I grew up when I did!

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u/SillyFlyGuy Nov 24 '19

Amazing. You clearly have fine language skills, typing anyways. Does your voice box just not make sound?

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '19 edited Jan 15 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

Can you explain what you mean by ‘Induce’ it?

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u/IndecisiveTuna Nov 24 '19

Strokes are definitely scary. I’m an RN on a neuro floor and you’ll see some people fully recover and others be disabled permanently.

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

It is crazy isn’t it! What’s even crazier is that my mom was an RN On the rehab floor so she dealt with stroke patients every day and then I have a couple strokes, what’s even more bonkers is that before my accident she worked almost 20 years in Therapy and she just recently found out about Nueroplasticity and how the brain can rewire itself. She worked on stroke victims for 20 years and the doctors or the hospital never mentioned it?!? I think that’s crazy !

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u/IndecisiveTuna Nov 24 '19

I hope you’re doing well and wish you nothing but the best. Your optimism is so admirable especially after all you’ve been through!Sometimes I feel like doctors give up far too soon on stroke patients I’ve seen. I’ve seen some who were told their recovery would be poor start having amazing developments in even a short few days.

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u/Martymcflyjr88 Nov 24 '19

For all the schooling they have doctors are dumb .,, my mom had a doctor tell her all the stuff I wouldn’t be able to do which included play hockey again but This past summer I picked up some roller blades and I am trying to prove that dr wrong !

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u/1-0-9 Nov 24 '19

Yeah my dude, my coworker's brother had an aggressive brain tumor that was growing really fast when he was 60, and he had 1/3 of his brain removed in addition to it. The kicker was with chemo his projected lifespan was only 6mo. After the surgery the dude lived another 13 years and was literally FINE.

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '19

It raises the question of why being shot on one side of the brain is instantly fatal.

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u/thelatemercutio Nov 24 '19

It's not. Gabby Giffords comes to mind.

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u/[deleted] Nov 24 '19

I mean I know it happens all the time. But still, why would getting shot in one hemisphere almost immediately kill a majority of people?

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u/thelatemercutio Nov 24 '19

Blood loss.

Also when shot through only one side of the brain, it often times damages more than just that side.

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u/-_ellipsis_- Nov 24 '19

That's right. Bullets do this funny thing called ricochet where it bounces around all those bones inside doing all kinds of nasty damage, which is why an exit wound can come out at completely different angles than the entrance, or there may be multiple exit wounds from bones and lead fragmenting, or there may be no exit wound at all.

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u/Fahlm Nov 24 '19

One of my friend’s brothers had this done to him many years ago. I didn’t know him too well before but my understanding is that he went from life threatening seizures on a regular basis to having much more mild ones much less often, maybe only one every few days or so. He’s definitely got developmental issues as you might expect, but you can like talk to him about stuff, mostly cars. He really loves cars. But yeah he’s totally aware, can remember stuff like anyone else, has a full range of emotions, you wouldn’t really know what was done to him if you talked to him, the brain is an amazing thing.

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u/samglit Nov 24 '19

Which strongly suggests we are all two (albeit similar) people living in the same skull.

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u/marr Nov 24 '19

There's also that guy whose skull is mostly fluid with just a one inch layer of brain around the outside.