In 1938, during the Spanish Civil War, one of the strangest cases of brain damage in world history occurred. A man described as “Patient M” began seeing the world upside down after being shot in the head during the war.
This interesting case was covered in a recent study. The researchers shared details of the surprising results of the brain damage suffered by Patient M. The study was published in Neurolagia last month.
Patient M could see people and objects backwards and could read letters and numbers both normally and backwards
Patient M, 25, was shot in the head while fighting for the Republicans during the war in 1938. Two weeks after the event, he woke up and started experiencing these symptoms. He was also able to survive without needing an operation or special care, and he took it all calmly. Patient M was studied for 50 years by Spanish neuroscientist Justo Gonzalo.
People and objects began to appear to Patient M from the opposite side of where they were. This was also seen in his sense of touch and hearing. He even saw many things upside down as well as reverse vision. For example, people working on a pier looked upside down to the patient.
The curiosities were not limited to these. Patient M’s brain could read both normal and reversed letters and numbers without seeing any difference between the two. He could also tell the time on a wristwatch, regardless of the angle he was looking at.
Patient M also had other strange symptoms. These; Color blindness included seeing colors that were detached from objects, seeing objects in triplicate.
Analyzes of patient M led to drastic changes in our understanding of the brain
“His brain was seen like little boxes,” neuropsychologist Alberto Garcia Molina, of the new research, told El Pais. Molina added that the theories at that time could not explain this situation, and that’s why Gonzalo put forward his own theories. Gonzalo’s analyzes at the time made significant contributions to the understanding of the workings of the brain.
Gonzalo proposed in the 1940s that the brain is not a place where different parts congregate, but rather a place with various functions scattered throughout the organ. This was also contrary to the ideas of the time. When examining Patient M and other cases of brain injury, Gonzalo suggested that the effects of the injury depend on the extent and location of the injury.
He added that these injuries do not destroy certain functions, but can alter the balance of functions, just as in Patient M. The Spanish neuroscientist described three syndromes related to this topic. These; central and paracentral and marginal syndrome were:
- Central: Interruption in multiple senses
- Paracentral: Like central; but the effects are not evenly distributed
- Marginal: Involvement of sensory brain pathways
The new study, which succeeded in increasing the awareness of the subject, demonstrates the importance of Gonzalo’s work and shows that the case’s effects continue today as an alternative source in clinical trials.
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