Of all the acquired (“acquired,” in medicine, simply means something that wasn’t present when you were born) conditions treated by modern medicine, the consequences of brain injury are among the most misunderstood by the public at large. Personally, I believe that there are three somewhat interrelated factors behind these misunderstandings.
The first is perhaps the simplest to explain and is, in the greatest part, due to our rapidly-evolving understanding of how the brain can “repair” itself and return to the level of function present in its uninjured or non-diseased state. As an example for years it was believed, and taught in high school or college biology classes, that once a neuron (nerve cell) died it wasn’t replaced and whatever function it controlled or purpose it served was simply lost and irreplaceable. However, we now know that the brain has a remarkable ability to “rewire” itself and can recover many functions that may have been temporarily “lost.” Anyone that has lost their use of an arm or a leg due to a stroke, and subsequently regained use of that extremity following physical therapy, is proof of this neural plasticity (the medical term for the brain’s ability to “remodel” or “reconnect” itself after disease or injury).
The second explanation is related to the above statement regarding the rapidly increasing body of knowledge regarding the recuperative ability of the brain.
The general public simply remains unaware of the recent advances in both neuroscience and intensive care medicine. Sure, the public may take note of some sensational item such as the recent report of the man who emerged from a minimally conscious state following the implantation of a “brain pacemaker” but how many take the time to read an article buried at the bottom of page 42 concerning a recent genetic discovery? This is one of the reasons that I started this blog, to bring more public attention to issues that the popular press will simply overlook.
My third explanation for the public misunderstandings of brain injury has a decidedly darker basis. This is the belief that someone with a brain injury “had it coming to them” as a result of some “sin” or some other affront to the “will of God.” Such opinions should have disappeared, along with related ideas such as the Earth as the center of the Universe or witchcraft, after the Middle Ages. Sadly, there are still millions within the United States alone that are more than willing to wave their Bibles while identifying disabled citizens as “proof” that “God punishes sinners.” If this describes your attitude toward this writer and my fellow brain injury survivors you, in my opinion, are beneath contempt and a disgrace to the memory of the man whose teachings you claim to follow.
Note: For another viewpoint regarding this “God’s will” hypothesis, please read “Why won’t God heal Amputees?” This excellent essay was submitted by “PAL,” a visitor to this blog. I thank him, or her, for this contribution toward the goals of the NeuralPathways web log.
As always, the reader is free to agree or disagree with the opinions stated in this blog. That’s what the “Comment” box at the bottom of this page is for.
I’m Wayne McDonald and I’m a brain injury survivor.
