Case Studies Flashcards
What was the real name of HM?
Henry Gustav Molaison.
How old was HM when he was knocked down by a cyclist and banged his forehead?
9.
How old was HM when he had his first epileptic seizure?
16.
What area of HM’s brain did Penfold remove to try and improve his epileptic symptoms?
Hippocampus.
How did Scoville remove HM’s hippocampus?
He sucked out the tissue using a silver straw.
How did HM remember who Dr Scoville was?
He had consulted him for years prior to the surgery so the memory of the doctor was already there.
Why does HM do crossword puzzles?
To help him remember words and maintain his vocabulary.
Does HM have any episodic memory?
HM had no episodic memory, however, he has a jist for his previous life.
What was removed from HM in an operation?
His hippocampus, but also his amygdala as it touched the hippocampus.
What did the loss of HM’s amygdala cause?
A loss of emotions especially sadness.
Did HM give consent to be part of further psychological research?
Yes, he signed consent forms.
How many people have looked at HM’s brain online?
Over 400,000.
How many sections of tissue was HM’s brain divided into?
2401, (each slice was 7 micrometres).
How was HM’s brain studied in the post-mortem?
It was sliced into 2,401 slices - each of these was 7 micrometers.
Why did Dr Anesse want to slice HM’s brain rather than dissect it in a traditional way?
Because HM’s problem was with the hippocampus, which is connected to many areas in the brain. Therefore, evidence could have been easily missed if dissected traditionally.
What was Dr Jacapo Anesse specialised in?
Dissection and analysis of brain.
Who dissected HM’s brain?
Dr Jacapo Anesse.
After his surgery, what condition was HM diagnosed with by doctors and psychologists?
Severe Anterograde Amnesia.
HM was diagnosed with “Severe Anterograde Amnesia”, what did this mean?
Anterograde amnesia is the inability to develop and keep new memories, old memories are retained but ‘fuzzy’ in recollection.
What age was HM when he died in 2008?
82.
What happened to Clive Wearing that caused damage to his hippocampus?
He contracted herpes simplex encephalitis, a disease that caused swelling of the brain tissue.
