"Anosognosia" is when someone is unaware they have a disease or a problem with their body. "No doctor, I am not blind" or "my left hand is not paralyzed" and they can't figure it out even when they try to clap or something. It usually happens as a result of a stroke, but even blunt force brain trauma can cause it.
What is really cool is that the person who is fucked up will automatically, and without conscious thought, make up some sort of crazy excuse about why they aren't suffering from whatever problem they have. It is like our brain has automatic systems which will force the world to appear logical and continuous to us, even if it means fabricating complete bullshit.
Now where it gets really crazy, is in some cases stimulating the person's brain, even in a really simple way like by squirting cold water in their ear, causes the anosognosia to disappear, and the brain rewrites all the memories to make things make sense again.
Then, twelve hours later after the woman settled down the question was repeated:
Anosognosia is the coolest brain malfunction because it exposes how our brain deals with things that don't make sense- and it has the more 'matrix' type implications than anything I've ever heard of. Our brain is so crazy about 'making sense' and continuity that it'll basically whip up a whole book of lies to keep from feeling like its broken. And we can't tell when or if it's doing it.
"What about your left hand?" you then ask. "Can you touch your nose with your left hand?"
"Sure I can." The patient's paralyzed left hand does not move.
"Are you touching it now?"
"Yes, of course I am." His hand still has not moved.
"Can you actually see yourself touching your nose with your left hand?" you ask.
"Of course I can," he says in irritation. "It's right in front of my face."
You decide to ask just one more question. "Can you clap your hands for me, please?"
The patient looks at you in some puzzlement, but resignedly lifts his right hand and waves it in front of him, as if clapping it against an imaginary left hand. His real left hand lies where it is, completely paralyzed. (adapted from Ramachandran 1998, p. 128-129, where a virtually identical conversation occurs)
What is really cool is that the person who is fucked up will automatically, and without conscious thought, make up some sort of crazy excuse about why they aren't suffering from whatever problem they have. It is like our brain has automatic systems which will force the world to appear logical and continuous to us, even if it means fabricating complete bullshit.
Now where it gets really crazy, is in some cases stimulating the person's brain, even in a really simple way like by squirting cold water in their ear, causes the anosognosia to disappear, and the brain rewrites all the memories to make things make sense again.
After [injecting the water], I asked again, "How are you feeling?"
"My ear's cold."
"What about your arms? Can you use your arms?"
"No," she replied, "my left arm is paralyzed."
That was the first time she had used that word in the three weeks since her stroke.
"Mrs. Macken, how long have you been paralyzed?"
She said, "Oh, continuously, all these days."
Then, twelve hours later after the woman settled down the question was repeated:
"Do you remember Dr. Ramachandran?"
"Oh, yes, he was that Indian doctor."
"And what did he do?"
"He took some ice-cold water and he put it into my left ear and it hurt."
..."What did he ask you?"
"He asked me if I could use both my arms."
"And what did you tell him?"
"I told him I was fine."
Anosognosia is the coolest brain malfunction because it exposes how our brain deals with things that don't make sense- and it has the more 'matrix' type implications than anything I've ever heard of. Our brain is so crazy about 'making sense' and continuity that it'll basically whip up a whole book of lies to keep from feeling like its broken. And we can't tell when or if it's doing it.