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Phantoms in the Brain summary

Name: Phantoms in the Brain
Rating: 4.5 (211 reviews)
Author: V. S. Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee

V. S. Ramachandran Sandra Blakeslee

Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind

4.5 (211 ratings)

24 mins

Brief summary

"Phantoms in the Brain" by V.S. Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee is a fascinating journey through the human brain, exploring the mysteries of perception, consciousness, and reality. It delves into the incredible stories of patients with bizarre neurological disorders, providing insights into the workings of the mind.

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The Brain Neuroscience

Table of Contents

Phantoms in the Brain
Summary of 8 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 8

What’s in it for me? Be awed by the power of the human brain.

What do a nurse who persistently hallucinates cartoon people; a mother whose own hand tries to strangle her, Dr. Strangelove-style; and a librarian who laughs uncontrollably for hours at a time all have in common?

They’re all crazy, right?

Actually, no. In most respects, all of these people are lucid, rational individuals with whom you could have a normal conversation. What they have in common is that they’ve all suffered damage to a portion of their brain, producing some odd – but ultimately predictable – symptoms.

Neurologists are interested in studying these exceptional people – not just because they have a morbid taste for the strange or deviant, but because exceptional brains have a lot to teach us about how “normal” brains function.

So, while these blinks might appear to be talking about the brains of others, they’re really talking about yours and about how it constructs every aspect of your experience – from your perception to your very identity.

In these blinks, you’ll learn

how the admiral Lord Nelson proved the existence of the soul;
which part of the brain lets you speak directly to God; and
a simple trick for bleaching your hair stark white.

Neurological disorders offer insight into the functions of each part of the brain.

Let’s begin with a thought experiment. Imagine a sort of futuristic helmet with a bunch of wires sticking out of it. When you place it on your head, it fires a powerful magnetic field onto a very small cluster of neurons in your brain – allowing you to activate any part of your brain at will. Actually, this isn’t science fiction. It is a real device called a transcranial magnetic stimulator.

So, let’s say you had access to one of these helmets. Which parts of the brain would you stimulate?

You could, for example, stimulate parts of the motor cortex to make your muscles twitch and flex of their own accord. Or you could stimulate the septum to induce pleasure more intense than the most exquisite orgasm. If you’re blind, you could even stimulate the visual cortex to experience what the sighted describe as “color.”

The key message here is: Neurological disorders offer insight into the functions of each part of the brain.

The point is, whatever part of the brain you chose to stimulate, you’d experience something different. And that’s because the various parts of the brain each have a different purpose.

For example, despite their symmetry, we now know that the left and right hemispheres of the brain are radically specialized for distinct tasks.

The left hemisphere is responsible for, among other things, most aspects of language formation – from the comprehension of meaning to the actual production of sounds. By contrast, the right hemisphere is relatively ineloquent, although it is involved in the more creative aspects of language like nuance and allegory.

Unfortunately, many discoveries about the functions of parts of the brain were only made after something went terribly wrong. For example, the reason we know that the hippocampus plays an essential role in the formation of new memories is that doctors, as a last resort, once decided to surgically remove the tiny, seahorse-shaped structure from an epileptic patient’s brain. After the operation, the patient was no longer capable of forming new memories, although he remembered everything that had happened prior to surgery.

This tragedy resulted in an important discovery – and doctors treat the hippocampus with much more respect because of it. Obviously, experimental surgery that disables patients in the process is far from an ethical research methodology.

That’s why neuroscientists study neurological disorders; they afford an opportunity to examine unique brains without causing any damage.

Phantom limb syndrome is caused by a misalignment between our internal body image and the physical body.

John was an aspiring athlete until he lost one of his arms in a car accident. But, though his arm was gone, John continued to feel as though it were still there, even years later. He could wave it around, scrunch his fist in frustration, and even grab objects in the world around him. Once, the author picked up a coffee cup that John was holding in his phantom hand, and John yelped in pain: “Oww! Hey, don’t do that, that hurts!”

John has what’s called a phantom limb. Phantom limbs are like the ghostly memory of an appendage that continues to endure, sometimes for decades, after the physical limb was lost. Most reported cases of phantom-limb syndrome involve an arm or leg, although other phantom appendages – including phantom breasts and phantom erections – have also been reported.

Perception involves many different processes – and not all of them are conscious.

When Ellen returned home from the hospital, her family immediately noticed that something was wrong. The hair on one side of her head was combed; on the other, it was knotted into clumps. Her shawl hung only over one shoulder; the rest trailed on the floor. And, most disconcerting of all, she was wearing lipstick and mascara on just one side of her face.

Ellen was exhibiting a syndrome called hemi-neglect, which can be characterized as a profound indifference to the left side of the world. It’s not that she was blind, technically. It’s that she was utterly indifferent to anything that happened on the left side of her visual field. It was as if, for her, “leftness” just didn’t exist.

What we might see as “delusions” are rational from the perspective of a patient’s altered reality.

When Arthur was a student, he received a severe blow to the head in a near-fatal car accident. For weeks, he lay in a coma. After he awoke, he embarked on the usual grueling path toward rehabilitation – gradually relearning to walk, talk, and recall the past. Miraculously, he was able to make a full recovery, although there was one small problem: he declared his parents had been replaced by imposters, and no amount of evidence or persuasion could convince him otherwise.

Arthur had acquired Capgras syndrome – a delusion wherein the sufferer believes their loved ones have been replaced by duplicates. Arthur admitted that these duplicates looked just like his parents, but he insisted they really weren’t.

Many delusions are neurological, rather than psychological, in origin.

Mrs. Dodd had grown impatient with her doctors. Why were they insisting that her left arm was paralyzed when she knew she could move it just fine?

In fact, she could not move her arm. Mrs. Dodd was completely paralyzed on the left side of her body after a stroke to the right hemisphere of her brain. However, it didn’t seem to bother her much; despite having spent the last two weeks in a wheelchair, she seemed blissfully unaware of her predicament and denied it vehemently.

The human brain has an innate propensity for spiritual experiences.

Not all neurological disorders have a negative impact on a person’s life. In fact, every now and then, you meet a person whose so-called “disorder” has profoundly transformed their life for the better.

Enter Paul. Paul was an assistant manager at his local Goodwill store. But in his spare time, he liked to read, write, and have conversations with God.

Even laughter, with all of its cultural associations, is the product of specialized networks in the brain.

Willy loved his mother deeply, and he grieved heavily when he heard the news of her passing.

When the day of her funeral came around, he performed every solemnity that you would expect. He donned a crisp black suit, spoke lovingly at the funeral service, and mourned with his family at the open grave where his mother was to be buried. It wasn’t until his mother’s casket was being lowered into the earth that Willy began to laugh.

Western medicine needs to study the mind-body connection more.

The year was 1932, and Mary Knight was nine months pregnant. She had felt the baby kicking for a while now, and she knew it was nearly due. But, as money was tight, Mary had put off seeing a doctor. She only made a visit to Dr. Monroe when she felt she was close to delivering.

During the check-up, everything looked as it should. Mary’s abdomen was enlarged, her breasts were swollen, and her nipples were mottled. But something wasn’t right. Her navel wasn’t pushed out. When the doctor put his stethoscope to her belly, he couldn’t find the baby’s heartbeat. Had she miscarried? No, she hadn’t. As it turned out, there had never been a fetus at all.

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What is Phantoms in the Brain about?

Phantoms in the Brain (1998) is an enduring classic of popular science that has transformed how we think about the brain and its relationship to the human experience. Drawing on the author’s clinical practice, it presents a series of patients with rare and astonishing neurological conditions. These case studies illuminate the architecture of our brains and, in the process, cast fresh light on timeless philosophical questions regarding the nature of consciousness, identity, and reality itself.

Phantoms in the Brain Review

Phantoms in the Brain (1998) explores the mysteries of the human brain and the fascinating world of neuroscience. Here's why this book is definitely worth a read:

With compelling case studies and mind-blowing examples, it provides a unique glimpse into the complexities of the brain, leaving readers awe-inspired.
This book delves into the intriguing phenomenon of phantom limbs and other neurological disorders, shedding light on the wonders and intricacies of our own minds.
Through the lens of V.S. Ramachandran's groundbreaking research, it offers profound insights into the nature of perception and consciousness, challenging our understanding of reality itself.

Who should read Phantoms in the Brain?

Aficionados of strange and extraordinary tales
Perennial learners looking for an accessible introduction to neurology
Anyone who wants insight into how the mind works

About the Author

S. Ramachandran is an internationally renowned neuroscientist and brain researcher. A professor at the University of California, San Diego, he’s notable for being the inventor of mirror therapy, developed to help treat amputees who suffer from phantom limb pain. Ramachandran is also the author of three other popular science books including The Tell-Tale Brain.

Sandra Blakeslee is an award-winning science writer for the New York Times who specializes in neuroscience. She’s the coauthor of two other books, The Good Marriage and the national best seller Second Chances.

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