Organ Memory

[Chief]

Saw a show on the other night about the idea that complex organs (the heart in this case) may incidentally store memories in their cellular structure as part of their constant interaction with the brain.

The heart in particular was found to have clusters of cells almost identical to brain matter.

Then it went on with some almost-believable, poorly analysed stuff about people receiving memories and skills from their transplanted hearts.

Did anyone see this one?

 

[The Majestic]

I didn't see this one but I did see a show like it that was talking about the eyes storing the last few moments of someones life. I think it may have been a crime documentary.

I also think a medical program once made the same mention about the organs retaining memories, someone claimed to have been channeling the memories of a dead person whose heart she had gotten.

It would be interesting to have that happen if you got an organ from someone that died a violent death or something and managed to channel the final moments of their life and some of their memories.

 

[Leper]

I guess it's fair to say when studying the heart they weren't going to Punt Road looking for guinea pigs .

 

[carntheroos4eva]

I think I saw an advert on the ABC for that show.

Interesting and that's all I will say

 

[daddy_4_eyes]

I didn't see this one but I did see a show like it that was talking about the eyes storing the last few moments of someones life. I think it may have been a crime documentary.

No, that was a scene from Robocop

 

[Armwarmer]

I wonder if penises retain memory.

That would make post-mortems potentially more interesting.

 

[Chief]

I didn't see this one but I did see a show like it that was talking about the eyes storing the last few moments of someones life. I think it may have been a crime documentary.

Might have been that the last image seen was left on the retina?

 

[cats2rise]

I saw it, and thought it was pretty interesting.

Can't really say much though as I do not know enough about it. I think they said between 5-10% of people who have heart donations 'feel/have' something.

 

[emperor]

Didn't see it but the bloke at work who did see it ensured it made for heated discussion in the lunch room. There were plenty of naysayers, I only wish I had of seen the program. It sounded like it was pretty interesting.

 

[Chief]

I saw it, and thought it was pretty interesting.

Can't really say much though as I do not know enough about it. I think they said between 5-10% of people who have heart donations 'feel/have' something.

I think 10 out of 70 cases investigated exhibited life changes but trauma like that also changes brain chemistry in many people.

The general idea was that the it was worth investigating further as far as I recall.

 

[The Majestic]

Might have been that the last image seen was left on the retina?

Could have been.

There was one story about some woman who got an organ from a guy who was shot she was feeling pain in the chest or something from when the guy was shot and was starting to think about the person whose organ she had received. According to her she had never met the guy who gave her the organ, and she tracked down his sister and told her the final moments of his life (according to her 'visions')

No, that was a scene from Robocop

I wouldn't know I was never a fan of Robocop so I wouldn't know, but it was from a documentary, and there was someone who was saying that a persons eyes capture the last few seconds of someone's life.

It has however been in other movies, I know in one movie the guy closed the eyes of the dead person so the person didn't tell any 'secrets' or something like that anyways.

 

[FIGJAM]

I'll go out on a limb and take a punt by suggesting that they will find similar cell structures within the spinal medulla.

The three 'brains' have different functions, basically being the intellectual brain (head), an emotional brain (solar plexus/heart), and a motor/instinctive/sexual brain (spinal chord & genitals).

This has been known for millenia by practitioners of meditation.

 

[AndSmithMustScore]

Sounds like the theme of the song Gary Gilmore's Eyes.

Gary Gilmore was a convicted murderer on death row, and one of his last requests was for his corneas to be used for transplant. He requested no other organs be used.

It's about a dude who recieves the Gary's eyes through transplant and when he comes to he sees all the bad shit Gilmore did through his eyes.

the doctors are avoiding me
My vision is confused
I listen to my earphones
And I catch the evening news

A murderer's been killed and he
Donates his sight to science
I'm booked into a private ward
And I realise that I must be

Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes
Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes
Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes
Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes

Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes
Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes
Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes
Looking through Gary Gilmore's eyes

I smash the light in anger
I push my bed against the door
I close my lids across the eyes
I wish to see no more

The iris receives messages
And send them to my brain
No guarantee the stimuli
Must be perceived the same