Thanks to Natasha Dantzig for drawing my attention to this fascinating talk from last month's TED Conference in Monterey, California:
Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened - as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding - she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another.
That's Taylor above, holding one of the anatomically correct stained glass brains that she has been creating since she had her stroke, which, according to her website, left her with "a heightened sense of color and creativity". Her TED conference talk, which lasts about 20 minutes, is embedded below.
If you're interested in stroke, you might like to read this old post about Paul Broca, the French neurologist who localised the function of speech production to the left hemisphere in the mid-nineteenth century, following his post-mortem studies of several stroke patients.
Brain & Behavior
Medicine & Health
Comments
This post reminds me the principle of direct introspection of neural states as neural states rather than the phenomenological feautres of our subjective experience, that somehow boldly, Paul M. Churchland introduced during the 80īs.
As it seems, the principle is not totally misguided after all!
Posted by: Anibal | March 13, 2008 5:26 AM
A brilliant, brilliant talk! She really moves me.
Posted by: Anibal | March 13, 2008 5:50 AM
Interesting how similar her experience is to that of psychedelic drugs. Also of religious experiences, but I guess a scientist's words are truer than a priest's..
Great talk though, she's a gifted speaker.
Posted by: Henrik | March 13, 2008 7:19 PM
I've been recommending a book by Jill Bolte Taylor called "My Stroke of Insight" to everyone I know. It's an amazing story, both uplifting and powerful on three levels: physical, emotional, and spiritual, but the spiritual aspect alone makes this the best book I've read all year.
How often do you get to hear a neuroscientist describe having a stroke, nearly dying and finding Nirvana, and then making a miraculous recovery so that she's back to teaching medical students!?!
I came away with a renewed sense of understanding, wonder and hopefulness about the capabilities of the human brain. I give "My Stroke of Insight" highest marks!
You can get the book for just $16.47 with free shipping from Amazon!
Posted by: Ellen | May 17, 2008 3:59 AM
The New York Times Sunday Newspaper on May 25 had a great two page article on Jill Bolte Taylor and her book, "MY STROKE OF INSIGHT". Her book is a must read and this NY Times article - called "A Superhighway to bliss" is worth checking out too.
Posted by: Dennis | May 29, 2008 4:35 AM
Here's the NY Times article:
A Superhighway to Bliss, by Leslie Kaufman.
Posted by: Mo | May 29, 2008 8:11 AM
I read "My Stroke of Insight" in one sitting - I couldn't put it down. I laughed. I cried. It was a fantastic book (I heard it's a NYTimes Bestseller and I can see why!), but I also think it will be the start of a new, transformative Movement! No one wants to have a stroke as Jill Bolte Taylor did, but her experience can teach us all how to live better lives. Her TED.com speech was one of the most incredibly moving, stimulating, wonderful videos I've ever seen. Her Oprah Soul Series interviews were fascinating. They should make a movie of her life so everyone sees it. This is the Real Deal and gives me hope for humanity.
Posted by: James | May 30, 2008 5:12 AM