This is a kind of epic news that talks about how stroke can possibly change your personality, skills, accent, and even sexuality when you suffer unconsciousness from a stroke and someday you just wake up. Apparently, this Australian guy, who is 26 years old, woke up from unconsciousness turns out to be gay although he was engaged with his girlfriend.
I did not notice that stroke can change your personality including sexuality. Mostly when you have a stroke, your body gets partially or mostly paralyzed because a lack of blood flow to your brain usually happens.However, interestingly enough it can also have symptoms of personal mind as well.
Check this article follow the address below:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/footy-player-woke-up-gay-after-stroke/story-e6frf7lf-1226331700724
The article mentions a doctor who studies brain patterns linked to different sexualities. If new neural connections are made following a stroke, it seems entirely possible that a patient's preference could change if the blockage, and thus repair, occurs in a part of the brain associated with sexual orientation. However, after reading around, this kind of personality change seems a bit extreme compared to those typically seen following a stroke. According to the American Heart Association, patients often become apathetic and impulsive, which seems a little less drastic than switching opinions on established hobbies and sexual orientation. To me, it seems the man's partner was probably closer to the truth and that the stroke may have triggered the activation of preexisting neural connections rather than directly causing the production of new ones.
ReplyDeleteHere is the short article regarding personality changes following a stroke from the American Heart Association:
http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/LifeAfterStroke/RegainingIndependence/EmotionalBehavioralChallenges/Personality-Changes-After-Stroke_UCM_309905_Article.jsp
I find this article really interesting, however, I don't think it is at all unbelievable or surprising. When you really think about it, things like personality, humanity and sexuality are generally based on the connections your brain makes, as you grow, about the reality around you. What distinguishes us as people is how we make these different connections. When someone experiences a stroke they, in a sense "wipe the slate clean". That being said they have to start from scratch (given that they still have the potential to make such connections--as many people that suffer stroke lose the ability to rehabilitate the tissue altogether) and make brand new connections. When you think about it this way, it would be quite surprising if a person came out of a stroke exactly the same (as in their brain was able to make all the exact same connections that were lost).
ReplyDeleteDefinitely an interesting article.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Corey in that the fiance probably has a more realistic view of what may have happened. Sadly, admitting that you're gay is still an extremely difficult move for many people. And what if Chris had mixed emotions before the accident? Would you be willing to potentially destroy your whole life to explore possible feelings? Clearly, Chris's mom essentially ex-communicated her son now that he's gay... he must have known that his mom was strongly against homosexuality prior to his accident.
In addition, having a stroke when you're 26 must be a eye-opening event. No one walks around when they're in their twenties expecting to be struck down by a stroke. It may have been the catalyst that Chris needed to start living his life as he saw fit.
All in all, perhaps it is possible that a stroke is the fundamental reason behind this personality shift, but I am rather reluctant to buy the story in its entirety.
I find this story hard to believe, I do agree with Corey in that the case of changing ones sexuality and interest in hobbies after having a stroke seems too extreme a change in personality for a stroke to cause. Furthemore, I would have liked to know where in his brain the stroke occurred, because I know damaging certain parts of the brain can bring about personality changes but, again like Corey said the personality changes are more apathetic and impulsive or in one case I heard angry and easily irritated.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, this article seemed to be about this kid Chris for about the first portion and then it jumped to two other random people and a doctor that claims he developed tests to determine if people are born gay or straight. Now I know that our genetics determines a lot of things, our personality and our sexual orientation however, I do not believe are part of that list of things our genetics determine. Those two things are much more determined by our environment as well as other social factors.
Lastly, as far as the claim of becoming gay after having a stroke goes, I perscribe to two theories. 1) Like Celine said, perhaps he had mixed feelings about his sexuality before the accident and after recovering the synapese that favored males became stronger. 2) He was secretly gay, and after recovering from his stroke found it the perfect excuse for him to be gay. Who knows, personally I think it will be easier to determine once we have better understanding of how memories and personality are stored and activated in the brain.
This was a really interesting article to read. I have never heard of anything like this before but it would make sense to me if he was different after the accident becuase any form of trauma to the brain can alter a person. It is interesting his sexuality was changed but in my opinion I agree that maybe he was sexually confused first and the accident and possible new connections formed in his brain were what brought out this confusion. It is sad to me that him and his mother lost touch and didn't talk much but all in all this was a very interesting article.
ReplyDeleteWhile the thought of a personality change based off stroke is slightly unbelivable I do believe that it is possible based on how the brain functions. It has been shown in history that damage to certain parts of the brain can alter personality. Since sexuality also stems from interactions in the brain it seems likely that damage to certain areas could allow for a change in sexual preference. I think I would need more conclusive evidence to determine the crediblity of this theory. If there would be more research on how this happens or can be demonstrated I would be more open to the idea. Since coming out is still a difficult process for many it may also be possible that he always had a preference towards men. It is hard to determine because at this point only the patient is aware of the truth.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that stroke can affect certain areas of the brain that influence personality. For instance the injuries to the frontal cortex can affect judgment, memory, intuition, impulse control, and social and sexual behavior. One of the earliest examples of frontal lobe injury was seen in Phineas Gage a railroad worker. After his injury his personality was drastically altered. It seems that internal filters and a sense of social normalcy are severely altered with these injuries. If the judgment and impulse controls are altered this could readily lead to changes in sexual behavior. I could easily see someone who is more sexually reserved suddenly becoming more “adventurous” after a stroke, or vise versa. As to changes in sexual orientation, I guess I find that a little more difficult to believe. Could it have happened? I guess the only way to know for sure is to have it happen to you…
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