The boy returned to normal after he removed part of the brain

August 2, 2018  23:39

The surgeons removed a 12-year-old Tanner Collins from new Stanton (PA), one third of the right hemisphere of the brain to stop seizures caused by a benign tumor.

The rest of the brain due to its neuroplasticity, compensated for the loss, said the scientists of University Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. Although Tanner had lost the part of the brain responsible for facial recognition, the boy says usually gets to know people. “I was able to adapt, he said in an interview with NBC News. — I perfectly know the person“.

Now Tanner, survived a complicated surgery, he wants to become a neurosurgeon.

“Such operations on the brain are rare, and every patient is unique,” says cognitivist Marlene Bermanwho observed a young patient in the recovery period. Through regular scanning, the doctors watched as Tanner’s brain has adapted to the loss of one of the important parts responsible for processing visual signals.

“We observed a unique phenomenon of neuroplasticity in action,” said Marlene Berman in an interview with NBC News.

The tumor on the right hemisphere of the brain appeared at Tanner, when he was six. “I vomited and I had terrible headaches” — says the boy. Then, according to father Carl Collins, your child has had a seizure. Only then the family learned that the cause of seizures is a brain tumor.

The family had the choice to decide on the removal of the affected part of the brain along with the tumor and may facilitate attacks or to watch and wait. “We wanted to remove the tumor and at the same time to maintain the function of brain Tanner”, said Karl.

After the surgery, Tanner sometimes stumbled when walking on walls, but after a while I adapted. And although one of his eyes is devoid of peripheral vision, it kompensiruet movement of eyeball and head turns.

Now Tanner is playing chess and volleyball, collecting coins, and floats. His IQ, according to doctors, above average, and a few weeks later the boy may be able to go to seventh grade. I can do all things the same as others. My parents think I’m a miracle happened, “says Tanner.

“Disease though it had never existed — his father says. — He is an ordinary 12-year-old boy. The only thing he cannot do is drive a car. But brothers and sisters are sworn to carry it for the rest of my life.”

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