Unforgettable Amnesiac
Among what H.B. could remember was his name, the fact that the family of his father came from Thibodaux, La. And that his mother’s location was from Ireland. He was also aware about the crash in stock market in 1929, World War II and how life was in 1940s. Unluckily he could not remember anything after this.
In the year 1953, he emerged fundamentally and irreversibly changed from an experimental brain operation which he underwent in Hartford. He developed a syndrome called amnesia by neurologists. From this he could not develop new memories.
For the preceding years in his life, whatever he did was like he was doing it for the first time; meeting friends, eating, walking. He was however regarded to be patient of greatest importance in the history of science of brain. He helped many scientists in understanding Biology of learning, memory, and physical dexterity and also fragility of human identity by participating in many studies. Henry Molaison simply referred to as H.M. for privacy matters died from failure in respiration in Windsor Locks Con at a nursing home. And his death confirmation was done by a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts institute of technology. At his death H.M. was 82.
H.M. lived with his parents from the age of 27 during the time when he ventured in intensive studying. He then lived with a parent and later in an institution. His personality and interlect was not damaged by the amnesia though he couldn’t sustain a job.The president of the Society for Neuroscience, Dr. Thomas Crew said that what H.M. lost was a critical part of his identity.
With neuroscience growing exponentially and students and money becoming more and more in the laboratories globally equally large-scale studies with brain-imaging technology are being mounted by researchers. It becomes easy for one to forget how neuroscience was of low standards in the mid 20th century. Physicians had little knowledge about it since they could not understand the problem with H.M.
Later on H.M sought assistance from a specialist Dr. Scoville who decided to remove tissue from his brain. When the physician’s surgery failed he consulted other specialists in the field. As they stated their findings many attributed his brain problem with other factors. Dr. Milner together with H.M. discovered that part of his brain was intact. After an intensive study scientist knew that there existed at least two systems in the brain for creation of new memories.
This study discovered that H.M. could hold some memory for a short duration without hippocampus. This study was of great importance in the neuroscience history.H.M. had a feeling that he was contributing to the field of neuroscience although he was not sure about it.
On seeing a photo album he could recall some of his childhood activities like hiking. When researchers visited they regarded him as an interesting patient. H.M. was however not sure about how interesting he was.
When he died many doctors came up in need to do more research on his brain where they found out that his temporal lobes were still intact. They also found out what was damage and how it related to memory.Dr. Corkin said that he would wish to preserve his brain once he died for future study just like Einstein was recognized for his contribution in science.
Dr. Corkin is working on a book about ‘A life without memory’ where its main focus is on will be H.M. He claims that he had a relationship with someone who never recognized him which many people would have thought to be impossible. He adds that in a way H.M. knew those who visited him frequently. Though H.M. never left survivors he left inerasable legacy in science.
Reference
Drewry, J. (1974) Writing Book Reviews. Boston: The Writer
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