tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37936507.post8260970723492357325..comments2023-08-08T10:25:47.529+01:00Comments on McCabism: Ron Dennis's brain transplantGordon McCabehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09151162643523937086noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37936507.post-13801321593754844362011-04-18T09:12:49.814+01:002011-04-18T09:12:49.814+01:00If Ron Dennis had his thalamus replaced, he would ...If Ron Dennis had his thalamus replaced, he would no longer be Ron Dennis. The surgery would have to be while Ron was very young (probably an embryo) or else the connections wouldn't line up with the cortex, and so many of his personality (and thus thalamo-cortical connections) hadn't developed or solidified yet. Then again, the cortex is very malleable... maybe connections can be integrated with some heavy stem-cell usage at an older age. In this case, Ron Dennis' core characteristics would be much like the donor's so he can't still be considered the same as the former Ron Dennis. To extend this logic further (perhaps too far), we are each not really the same person we were a month ago, since so many cortical connections have changed in that time.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00972150172947343760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37936507.post-4531986954655896122010-11-05T03:22:56.397+00:002010-11-05T03:22:56.397+00:00Dr. Krieger's partial brain transplantation ex...Dr. Krieger's partial brain transplantation experiments were of sections of the pituitary gland (a hormone producing gland within the brain) - and the "function" that was transplanted was thus solely the ability to secrete hormones. It was basically a transplant of the brain's liver or pancreas. The testable results were hormonal, not cerebral. There could have been cerebral results, but they were not tested beyond the influences of the hormones.<br /><br />Also are you sure the lobes of the brain are as modular as you think? Patterns of neural activity are dictated completely by the network - by their interconnections. Due to the sheer amount of neural links that have to be severed and regrown, perhaps a lobe transplantation would irrevocably damage the original function beyond recognition.<br />Even small damage to the motor cortex or supporting structures can force patients to have to learn to walk all over again. So it would seem that any advantages and individuality would be lost during transplant. As an example, how would it help to be given the motor cortex of a dancer - only to have your (and the new dancer lobe's) ability to move RESET by the procedure, you'll have to learn to walk again and learn to dance again - what was the point? I think it likely that ALL neural lobes would have the same problems from such radical surgical disconnections/reconnections. Any neural linkages (incl sense of self) would be damaged beyond recognition and would need to be reset (ie: learn to walk again) to even function.<br />These neural systems seem more delicate that you are letting on.roidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870610136131985662noreply@blogger.com