Boy Without a Cerebellum Baffles Doctors

[Ip Man]

Chase was also born prematurely, and he was legally blind. When he was 1 year old, doctors did an MRI, expecting to find he had a mild case of cerebral palsy. Instead, they discovered he was completely missing his cerebellum -- the part of the brain that controls motor skills, balance and emotions.

"That's when the doctor called and didn't know what to say to us," Britton said in a telephone interview. "No one had ever seen it before. And then we'd go to the neurologists and they'd say, 'That's impossible.' 'He has the MRI of a vegetable,' one of the doctors said to us."

Chase is not a vegetable, leaving doctors bewildered and experts rethinking what they thought they knew about the human brain.

Chase Britton, Boy Without a Cerebellum, Baffles Doctors

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

It should be practically impossible for him to be able to move like that, but the brain is amazing that it will adapt to changes in structure. Obviously his brain shifted motor and language skills to another region. This could help to move a step forward in what we understand about the brain structure and perhaps give a direction into how to save patients in a vegetative state.

 

[LongLiveLife]

Obviously his brain shifted motor and language skills to another region.

Can it do that if it never acquired the skills in the first place?

Interesting story. In my work experience shadowing a doctor, I spoke to a girl who had the left hemisphere of her brain removed when she was thirteen, and she understood perfectly and answered my questions by pointing to alphabet on a laminated sheet, though she was paralyzed on her right side. That, to me, was a miracle in Medicine.

 

[Bukkake Sensei]

Obviously his brain shifted motor and language skills to another region.

Obviously.

Or this entire news story could be viral marketing for some indie movie coming out this fall.

 

[Silver_Soul]

the brain has something called plasticity, i believe
which basically means it adapts different parts of the brain to do different things

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Can it do that if it never acquired the skills in the first place?

It's plasticity. The if a portion of the brain is removed or, in the boy's case, never grown, the brain will compensate by shifting these skills into another region.

Obviously.

Or this entire news story could be viral marketing for some indie movie coming out this fall.

Then the boy has some great acting.

But really, I like stating the obvious. Obviously.

the brain has something called plasticity, i believe
which basically means it adapts different parts of the brain to do different things

Correct.

 

[Alaude Drenxta]

The brain is remarkably resilient, a big one up for evolution, honestly. It's impressive how well it can adapt. Though, admittedly I'm glad that mine has all its parts. XD

 

[Siren]

Can it do that if it never acquired the skills in the first place?

Interesting story. In my work experience shadowing a doctor, I spoke to a girl who had the left hemisphere of her brain removed when she was thirteen, and she understood perfectly and answered my questions by pointing to alphabet on a laminated sheet, though she was paralyzed on her right side. That, to me, was a miracle in Medicine.

What's more interesting is that at times the entire language center can shift hemispheres in patients who are 'missing' part of their brain or one hemisphere is dead. The younger they are when this occurs the more likely they are to be able to shift the language facilities over; it's harder for an old brain to learn new tricks, I guess.

 

[stephaknee]

Neurogenesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Synaptic plasticity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Square Ninja]

what's so special about that? khi is populated largely by people missing portions of their brains

 

[Wintertide]

That's amazing. It's interesting how the brain can do things that should be only be in one region of the brain and yet it moves to another region. Kind of like those people who can living missing a side of their left/right hemisphere.

 

[_EX]

what's so special about that? khi is populated largely by people missing portions of their brains

You called ?

 

[Epif]

Odd that the brain shifted the motor skills and such from something that never existed into another region. But I guess I only find it odd, 'cause we don't know much about the brain.

I love the part where the doctors were acting like they were being trolled, "No, that's impossible. It's an MRI of a vegetable." I'm surprised they didn't have a better reaction, haha ^-^.

 

[ChrisP]

That's pretty awesome. I never would've thought something like that would have happened o.o Very cool.

 

[IceBlueWings]

Aw it's so wonderful! And he's so adorable! I'm so happy for them.

 

[Fire's fan]

Sounds like something you'd find on House.

 

[LongLiveLife]

I'm surprised they didn't have a better reaction, haha ^-^.

They're going by what med school teaches them. How else do you expect them to react?

 

[Norpthalomus]

Wow, that's really interesting. I wonder how this little kid will end up? This child could help open the doors to recovery to many other people. I hope that they find something useful through their experience with Chase.

 

[Key]

That's... pretty amazing. We just learned about the brain in Psychology... I didn't think something like this was even possible! O.O;