Living 'Normally' After Losing 90% of the Brain

Despite all scientific and technological advancements, we still know very little about 'consciousness' or 'self-awareness,' except that it is somehow related to the brain. Recently, theories explaining the formation of consciousness have been challenged, as scientists encountered an individual who has lost almost the majority of his brain yet remains fully conscious and self-aware. According to Science Alert, a few years ago, a 44-year-old French man visited doctors due to what he thought was weakness in his left leg. Brain imaging results revealed that most of his skull was filled with a type of fluid, with only a thin layer of brain tissue remaining. Despite having slightly lower intelligence than the average person, he was married, had two children, and worked in a public service sector. Doctors believe that this man's brain has been deteriorating over the past 30 years, with fluid gradually replacing all brain matter. This condition is known in medical science as hydrocephalus or increased cerebrospinal fluid. This disease had been diagnosed in his childhood, and doctors had connected this fluid to his bloodstream via a tube. However, when this tube was removed at the age of fourteen, less and less fluid exited the brain, gradually filling the entire skull. Although the survival of this individual is considered a medical miracle, his condition has severely challenged medical knowledge regarding consciousness and self-awareness. Dr. Alex Cleeremans from the Université Libre de Bruxelles states, 'Any theory regarding consciousness and self-awareness must explain why a person like this patient, who has lost 90% of his brain's nerve cells, can still lead a normal life.' According to Quartz, current theories assume that the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes are responsible for controlling emotions, feelings, language learning, vision, speech, and sensory and cognitive behaviors. However, in this French man's brain, almost all these areas have disappeared. Dr. Cleeremans, who spoke at a conference this year on the scientific study of consciousness, believes that consciousness may be an educational process, meaning the human brain learns what consciousness means from childhood and performs it. 'Consciousness is a non-conceptual theory of the brain about itself, acquired through experience. This includes learning, interacting with oneself and the surrounding world, and other people.' He argues that being conscious is not merely about having information; the individual must also know that they know this information. In other words, the brain is aware of what it knows. Cleeremans states that consciousness is the brain's theory about itself. Therefore, this French man, despite having only a small part of his brain left, is still capable of constructing this theory about himself. This research shows that adult brains have a high adaptability, and if a part of the brain is damaged, there is a possibility that the brain can assign the functions of that damaged part to other areas.