Injured Man's Brain Rewires Itself.!!

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:04 pm

Unbelievable amazing...:-2

Injured Man's Brain Rewires Itself

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP

AP

Terry Wallis, 42, is thought to be the only person in the United States to recover so dramatically so long after a severe brain injury.

(July 4) - Doctors have their first proof that a man who was barely conscious for nearly 20 years regained speech and movement because his brain spontaneously rewired itself by growing tiny new nerve connections to replace the ones sheared apart in a car crash.

Terry Wallis, 42, is thought to be the only person in the United States to recover so dramatically so long after a severe brain injury. He still needs help eating and cannot walk, but his speech continues to improve and he can count to 25 without interruption.

Wallis' sudden recovery happened three years ago at a rehabilitation center in Mountain View, Ark., but doctors said the same cannot be hoped for people in a persistent vegetative state, such as Terri Schiavo, the Florida woman who died last year after a fierce right-to-die court battle. Nor do they know how to make others with less serious damage, like Wallis, recover.

"Right now these cases are like winning the lottery," said Dr. Ross Zafonte, rehabilitation chief at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, who was not involved in the research. "I wouldn't want to overenthuse family members or folks who think now we have a cure for this."

Wallis has complete amnesia about the two decades he spent barely conscious, but remembers his life before the injury.

"He still thinks Ronald Reagan is president," his father, Jerry, said in a statement, adding that until recently his son insisted he was 20 years old.

The research on Wallis, published Monday in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, was led by imaging expert Henning Voss and neurologist Dr. Nicholas Schiff at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and included doctors at JFK Medical Center in Edison, N.J.

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:15 pm

My mother called me this morning with this story, because it is so encouraging that the brain can heal after a great length of time. I am hoping for the same for my husband!

nvalleyvee · Post by **nvalleyvee** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:59 pm

Do you know how fast the brain would have been rewired with stem cells???!!!!!

cherandbuster · Post by **cherandbuster** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:02 pm

chonsigirl wrote: My mother called me this morning with this story, because it is so encouraging that the brain can heal after a great length of time. I am hoping for the same for my husband!

Oh Chons, I would be *filled* with joy if this happens for your hubby:-6

And I will continue to hope & pray that it does

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:04 pm

Good questions this is un-charted waters now and the implication for the use of Stem Cell research just go a boost for sure. As well as Alzheimer's research you name it the power of the brain and how it works will be on the front burner now. What an amazing story....

nvalleyvee · Post by **nvalleyvee** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:08 pm

Stem cells seem to be the answer.......get the freaking government out of abortion control so it can proceed....................

chonsigirl · Post by **chonsigirl** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 6:14 pm

cherandbuster wrote: Oh Chons, I would be *filled* with joy if this happens for your hubby:-6

And I will continue to hope & pray that it does

Thank you Cher!:-4

The brain is a marvel, it can continue to heal long after they tell you it cannot. This man was one example!

911 · Post by **911** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:28 pm

I wonder if you have to be in a coma or semi coma for this to work. I need help now...today...asap.

Has anyone seen my shoes? :yh_silly

Marie5656 · Post by **Marie5656** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:43 pm

Chonsi, I seem to remember you mentioning your husband, but do not recall what his disability is. If you don't mind filling me in.... You can PM me if you are just rehashing stuff the older members already know.