14 weird medical facts

[jshort]

See: The 14 Weirdest Medical Facts

I have to say, the following (which is #2 on weirdest things) has always blown my mind.

2) You can half of your brain removed and still be functioning. Half your brain just sliced out, and you’re still alive and healthy. Weird, huh?

I did a bit of research on this a couple years ago. It appears to be true. Absolutely no one knows why! Very spooky.

[Terry]

The Startling Boy With Only Half A Brain

Yes, it is really puzzling. I only know that it affects part of the visual field and the control of opposite arm. How come the opposite leg can still move? The patients don't seem to have any lost of episodic memory, although they may need to relearn the language if the left hemisphere was removed. What other defects?

Children recover well after removing half a brain. How about that for adults? Why getting stroke such a serious damage if we can afford losing half of the brain? Is it all due to the decline of neuroplasticity as we aged?

[MrMistery]

yeah, i mean after you lose half a brain I'm pretty sure there's a ton of reorganization afterwards. I know someone who had a stroke and is absolutely fine now, though he did have it at a somewhat young age. Usually people have strokes at advanced ages, and I would be inclined to think that if you remove half of the brain of a 60 year old he/she might run into problems, because they just can't make enough synapses quickly enough

[jshort]

Sorry for the delay. I've been a bit stressed with tasks as of late.

I agree that its strange that an individual may suffer more from a stroke to one hemisphere as appose to loosing the entire thing.

I believe reorganization only partially explains the lack of disability. Perhaps our current views regarding how the two hemispheres specialize and rely on one another is flawed.

[Percarus]

Number 10 on the list: "10) Blue skin syndrome, otherwise known as “smurf syndrome.” Not really, but this condition, where your skin turns blue is a bit of a medical mystery.".

I actually read an article about that 7 years ago. Such syndromes are allegedly caused by Cyanide contamination of some sort to certain prone individuals with a genetic disorder - I can't find the article though.

Wiki refs, blue skin can be caused by the following conditions :
Blue skin may refer to:
* Argyria, caused by the ingestion of elemental silver, silver dust or silver compounds
* Methemoglobinemia, the presence of excessive levels of Methemoglobin in the blood
* Cyanosis, caused by the presence of deoxygenated hemoglobin in blood vessels near the skin surface
* Blue baby syndrome

*Purpura Bruise
- Petechia

[Watson]

12) Anyone who is kept in solitary confinement can become psychotic. The reason that’s so weird is as follows – it means that you, even if you’re in perfect health, could become psychotic (start seeing things that aren’t there, for instance) if someone locked you in a room for a week.

It is not quite the same but I was stranded in a cabin in a severe snow storm, and stuck there for almost a week. I didn't start seeing things, but the isolation does have a noticably uncomfortable affect, similar to panicing of a sort.