Really. There has to be much more to this story than what we're getting. I'm really curious.

What I find interesting about it is that even after the removal of the "thinking" brain, she still continued to develop and may eventually have gotten back to "normal"

an operation which removed nearly the entire “thinking” portion of a woman’s brain

The joke is, it's not unheard-of to remove one hemisphere of the brain -- in a young child. It's basically the last-ditch fix for severe epilepsy. And because a young child's brain still has its infant plasticity, children who have this operation usually end up in the ballpark of normal development. Despite having only half a brain.

I'm not sure this fantasist of 1930-whatever really wants a grown woman with seriously-damaged frontal lobes. Everybody who knew Phineas Gage reported that after his accident, he became an asshole.

Did anyone see the piece in the NY Times Magazine recently about brain disorders? It focused on something called t memfault Williams or Thomas or Jethro or some first name name. Near as I can tell, and I don't mean to make light here, it basically turns you into a puppy - super friendly and gregarious, always sunny, and absolutely no ability to pick up social cues. Seriously freaky.

But they had some very interesting discussion about the evolution of the brain and what you can learn about priorities (on the species level) from how the brain developed. (Also why Survivor is so genius, but I might have inferred that part.)

ETA: [link]

Did anyone see the piece in the NY Times Magazine recently about brain disorders?

I read that and watched the video too. The girl they showed was so sweet and goofy. Very different from somebody with Downs, though with some obvious cognitive deficit.

Williams or Thomas or Jethro or some first name name. Near as I can tell, and I don't mean to make light here, it basically turns you into a puppy - super friendly and gregarious, always sunny, and absolutely no ability to pick up social cues. Seriously freaky.

I think it may be Williams Syndrome. [eta: just clicked the link, and it is indeed] Some of my boss's patients have it (whatever causes the brain thing also sometimes brings (comparatively minor) heart defects as a gift with purchase).

They are exceptionally sunny and cheerful and loving, but their families and caretakers have to be super-vigilant because they've got no instinct for doubt, skepticism, self-preservation, and they make great targets for everything from bullies to sexual abusers because they're so thoroughly guileless and trusting. They haven't got a mean, conniving, un-sweet bone in their bodies, and they're completely, physiologically incapable of imagining that any human being could ever wish harm on them or anyone else.

Megan just sent me a link to LOL Buffy:

[link]

It's fascinating, the different kinds of things that can go wrong in making a person, and then what that means throughout a person's life.

I still love all the LOLs.

They haven't got a mean, conniving, un-sweet bone in their bodies, and they're completely, physiologically incapable of imagining that any human being could ever wish harm on them or anyone else.

This is the sort of thing that keeps me reading Oliver Sacks. The neuro bits are entwined in such strange and peculiar ways. When I think of brain damage making one meaner, naively I'd think of the mood as a reaction to the effect of the damage. Not an effect of the damage itself.

Sort of like the link between migraines and depression.

'DATELINE' SUED IN SEX-STING SUICIDE

July 18, 2007 -- THE sister of a veteran Texas prosecutor who blew his brains out as he was about to be busted in an underage-sex sting set up by "Dateline" is slapping NBC with a $100 million suit.

Louis "Bill" Conradt grabbed a gun and shot himself as he spotted cops, reporter Chris Hansen and a camera crew from the popular "To Catch a Predator" segment outside his home on Nov. 5, 2006, according to a notice of claim sent to NBC yesterday.

The suit will be filed Monday in Manhattan Federal Court on behalf of his estate, said Patricia Conradt's lawyer, Bruce Baron.

"NBC was responsible for his death. They conducted their sting operation and intentionally and with negligence sensationalized the situation," Baron said.

"It brought it to the point that he died of a self inflicted gun shot wound."

The 56-year-old prosecutor, a highly praised 20-year-law enforcement veteran, allegedly went online to solicit sex from a 13-year-old boy.

Hansen and a "Dateline" crew tagged along with cops to the prosecutor's home to capture the arrest.

NBC said if a suit is filed, "we will defend ourselves vigorously, as we believe the claims are completely without merit."

IANAL and I don't know anything more about this case, but I am skeptical of the lawsuit's merits.

Under what circumstances can one be held liable (in civil court) for causing someone's suicide? Does that happen?