Amnesia

[cracked]

u always see people in movies and such that get amnesia and cant remember their names and family members, etc. but has anyone ever had it so bad that they forgot how to speak english? or whatever language they speak? or forgotten any other basic human skills?

drew

I know a guy that got in a car accident when he was in college.
He remembers nothing before that time in his life. Reading writing etc. He had to relearn everything. But he did retain most of his language.

Ppl that have brain injuries sometimes forget basic motor skills like how to move their arms/legs, or even just how to use a spoon. They then have to be retrained to do these simple things. They often have the physical capacity, just have to relearn it.

Just visit any brain injury rehabilitation centre, and you see hundreds of these folks. Sometimes, a stroke (CVA) can have a similar effect, although it's not always possible for the functions to be regained, as often the physical motor skills are affected by strokes as well.

Ppl who are in comas for long periods sometimes have to relearn stuff as well.

The brain remains pretty much a mystery.

Cheers
Mick

Plasticity. Memory sometimes can not be recovered, but it's possible for most motor or sensory damaged patients to recover the basic skills they have lost due to the brain's plasticity. If the portion that used to control function X is destroyed by a stroke or other damage, often another portion will take over and 'relearn' the operation of skill/sense.

Memory is tweaky though. Very little (on the grand scale) is understood about formation and storage.