I was especially interested in one that leaves someone unable to communicate or move.
Are those in such a state generally conscious and cognizant but unable to talk or move, or are they usually basically not cognizant or in a state where they don’t really have any thoughts?
I’ve been around some people that had mild strokes that left them unable to speak or only able to speak in a confused manner and they seemed aware that they weren’t able to and seemed frustrated before they recovered normal speech abilities.
He had a massive stroke and was locked-in. He could only communicate with a blink (much like our own recently departed and sadly missed blinkie, which is also well worth a read) and wrote a book about his experience.
I couldn’t tell you how he felt, but my dad only lasted about a week after his stroke. He was in the hospital for 2 or 3 days and then in hospice for a couple more.
I expect that like any malady affecting the brain, it’s going to depend entirely on what areas of the brain have been damaged.
Like you, I have a friend who suffered a stroke about ten years ago. He said that when the stroke first began, he was having trouble doing some basic math for a basic construction problem. He sat down and muttered something to himself, and when his muttering came out as gibberish, he realized something was seriously wrong and sought help. These days he’s mostly recovered, having been left with nothing more than a moderate stutter.
It’s not hard to imagine that someone could have their speech center or motor controls utterly obliterated by the stroke, while leaving their consciousness perfectly intact. Strokes occurring in specific areas of the brain or brain stem can cause locked-in syndrome, which basically matches what you’re describing: fully conscious, but completely paralyzed.
“The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly” was made into a fairly good movie. It is currently available. I don’t recall if I streamed it or rented a disk. It is what some call ‘‘dark’’.
I know someone who had a stroke that left him mentally alert, but struggling to move one side of his body, and struggling to talk. It was an enormous frustration to him that he knew exactly what he wanted to say, but couldn’t come up with the right for it - like that on-the-tip-of-your-tongue feeling every third or fourth word. He also had to learn how to read and write virtually from scratch. For whatever reason, letter shapes and arrangement simply stopped having any meaning for him.
For a few months, most of his communication involved pointing at the thing he wanted and trying very hard not to be angry with himself or the folks around him.
The good news is that after 18 months or so, he recovered most of his old capabilities. Many people can’t say that.
37 year old neuroscientist specializing in brain research, suffered a massive stroke. Survived, spent eight years recovering. In effect, she studied her own stroke from the inside out. Highly recommended.
Locked-in syndrome is generally not the result of a massive stroke but rather a devastatingly specific one affecting the brainstem or pons and cutting off virtually all motor function. A massive stroke would generally not leave cognition intact.
There is a very interesting TED Talk from a woman who recounts her experience(s) during her stroke. Here is the link.
It may or may not answer your specific curiousity on this, but its really neat snd on-topic for sure, IMHO.
On preview, I now see its the same person as mentioned above by TreacherousCretin, but there’s the link to video of her describing it as it happened to her. HTH
[URL=“Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight | TED Talk”]
Yep, that’s her. I read her book, then saw a video of her presentation, and recommend that sequence. For me, her book is more informative (and exhaustive) about experiencing the stroke and its immediate aftermath, but mileages vary.
She is an amazing woman.
I realize basically every person who has a stroke is going to experience it differently, and based on what areas of the brain are damaged their abilities after will be very different.
Thanks for the rec on Diving Bell And The Butterfly too guys.
Kimballkid:
My mom had basically the same course as your dad, which is what made me wonder about the question of if any consciousness remains typically.
Jill Taylor had a hemorrhagic stroke; her book is an inspiration for both survivors of those and ischemic strokes where a clot or bit of plaque blocks off an important artery. We are 5 years+ out from a “watershed” (read huge) left middle cerebral artery blockage- and Himself was completely hemiplegic for about three months, and for about a week unable to speak, though it was clear he knew what he wanted to say. What we didn’t get for a bit that he was also having input problems- processing and volume. First string of words was a blurted “Shut the fuck up” to his deaf, loud, and continuously speaking ICU room mate.
Truly, every stroke IS different. As Jill says, some files don’t need to be re-opened :). My survivor has regained speech, never really lost cognition, and got a lot of right side function back. In our town there are three stroke survivors who have in common that they love opera- and at the simulcasts for the Saturday Met matinees, there is the right side leg residual using a cane, the right side arm residual who keeps his hand in a sling, and the one whose body seems to be fine, but who cannot speak at all.
If you have a loved one with a recent stroke, know that the brain function is really really scrambled, but that it’s very likely there is some hearing, and some vision, and very possibly smell.
The human brain is plastic, apparently endlessly, and if you live through it recovery is both possible and likely continuous (if not fast :/) NEVER give up!
The SAFE stroke caregivers’ listserve is invaluable.
Umm, I think it totally depends on WHERE in the brain it occurs.
I’m no doctor, but I would imagine that strokes don’t occur in any MORE frequency in one particular part of the brain than another?
If it were random, then the results would be random – from instant death until aphasia (difficulty speaking) or difficulty doing things we normals take for granted, like walking or swallowing.
I didn’t know whether to mention this or not but some parts of Jill Bolte Taylor’s experience, and the memories she carried away from it sound DEAD ON like experiences I’ve had with psychedelic drugs.(and many other people of course).
Terry Gross noticed this herself and asked JB about it in the interview I linked to upthread. Jill’s reply began with “I hear that a LOT.”
Again, I strongly recommend her book. In my experience, and that of many others, there are aspects of the LSD experience that simply “can’t be put into words.” Well, Jill’s comprehensive description of being aware of the disconnections inside her brain, precisely “puts into words” those aspects of the LSD trips that I found sometimes blissful, and sometimes terrifying. A very interesting and illuminating read.