Scientists research man missing 90% of his brain who leads a normal life (2016)
Source: Hacker News
Overview
The case of a French man who functions despite missing about 90 % of his brain tissue has sparked discussion about brain plasticity and consciousness. Psychologist Axel Cleeremans of the Université Libre in Brussels comments on the implications.
Feuillet et al., The Lancet (2007)
“He was living a normal life. He has a family. He works. His IQ was tested at the time of his complaint and came out to be 84, slightly below the normal range… So, this person is not bright — but perfectly socially apt.” – Axel Cleeremans
The man, 44 years old, presented with leg weakness. Hospital scans revealed hydrocephalus: the skull was filled with cerebrospinal fluid, leaving only a thin cortical layer.
Scientific Context
The case was first reported in The Lancet in 2007. Cleeremans sees it as both a medical marvel and a challenge to theories that locate consciousness in specific brain regions.
![Brain scans from the 2007 Lancet study]
Feuillet et al., The Lancet (2007)
Cleeremans presented the case at the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness conference in Buenos Aires.
Interview Excerpts
Susan Bonner (SB): It is such a stunning case. I’m wondering, what kind of larger lesson it offers about our brains?
Axel Cleeremans (AC):
- “One of the lessons is that plasticity is probably more pervasive than we thought it was… It is truly incredible that the brain can continue to function, more or less, within the normal range — with probably many fewer neurons than in a typical brain.”
- “A second lesson, for those interested in consciousness, concerns how the biological activity of the brain produces awareness. I defend the idea that awareness depends on the brain’s ability to learn.”
SB: So, does that mean there is not one region of the brain responsible for consciousness?
AC: “Precisely. These cases are definitely a challenge for any theory of consciousness that depends on very specific neuro‑anatomical assumptions.”
![Axel Cleeremans (Twitter)]
For a full audio interview, see the original As It Happens broadcast.