A features article I wrote as part of my A2 English Combined coursework:
It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel- the ability for an organ to remember the memories of its previous owner. But it would appear to be the reality for many people who have undergone transplants and experienced the phenomenon that is “cellular memory”.
It sounds like something out of a science fiction novel- the ability for an organ to remember the memories of its previous owner. But it would appear to be the reality for many people who have undergone transplants and experienced the phenomenon that is “cellular memory”.
Claire
Sylvia was one of the first cases to have reported a change in personality from a
subsequent organ transplant. In her book “Change of Heart” she details the
miraculous operation that changed her life, quite literally.
Claire Sylvia underwent a heart and lung transplant after suffering
from PPH (Primary Pulmonary Hypertension). PPH has no cure. Those who suffer PPH
will gradually feel worse, and over time, will leave the patient feeling
constantly tired, making even the most everyday tasks difficult. At its most
severe, the disease can cause heart and lung failure- which, for those lucky
enough to receive one, can be treated via a heart and lung transplant.
However, not only did Sylvia receive the heart and lungs of
her donor, an 18 year old who had died in a motorcycle accident, but also the
memories, preferences and habits her donor had too. Claire had been a health
conscious dancer, who now expressed a taste for beer, fried chicken and even
green peppers- something she had never normally eaten. What added to the mystery
of Claire’s case is that she started experiencing recurring dreams about an 18
year old man named “Tim L”, whom she believed to be her donor.
Upon meeting the family of her donor- something that is not
usually allowed due to strict privacy regulations- she found out that in fact the
mysterious “Tim L” from her dreams had indeed been the donor of her heart.Talking
with his family, many of the habits that Tim had were now being mirrored by
Claire. Not only that, but Tim had had a fondness for beer and green peppers.
What had caused these seemingly impossible changes in Claire?
How had she known the person in her dream was her donor? Was the heart really
the cause? Or was it simply a coincidence? Could cellular memory really be the
explanation for the changes in Claire’s life?
So, just what is cellular memory, then? The theory of
cellular memory states it is not just our brain that carries memories- but every single cell in our body. The heart
has been the most common link between the idea of cells and memory. Is there a
particular reason why there are so many phrases we have adopted into our
language which incorporate the heart? To learn something“off by heart”, “wearing your
heart on your sleeve” and to be “broken
hearted”, they’re all expressions we come in contact with quite regularly.
The heart plays a significant role in language as well as being highly symbolic
– being the centre of love and emotion. There has always been an acceptance
that both the body and mind are connected- so why not the idea that other cells
are capable of holding memories?
The theory of cellular memory is
not well acknowledged throughout the scientific community, and is often even
regarded along the lines of homeopathy and other more holistic techniques.
However there has been evidence to support the theory in the form of many case
studies. The author of The Heart’s Code, Dr. Paul Pearsall supports the idea of
“cellular memory”. Dr. Pearsall has identified numerous cases in which the
recipient of a donated organ has apparently undergone some form of personality
change due to the “memories” that have been stored within an organ. With 5-10%
of cases reporting changes to personality, the number is still relatively low;
however, as the numbers of transplants and technology to provide them
increases, will there be a rise in the number of accounts?
Some rather extraordinary examples of cellular memory include
a case several years ago, where an eight year old girl was the recipient of a
heart from a ten year old girl- who had been murdered. After receiving her new
heart, the girl began experiencing nightmares about the man who had murdered
her donor. After being sent to a psychiatrist by her mother, they “could not
deny the reality of what the child was telling her.” And so, with the belief
she knew who the murderer was, called the police. They gave them the
descriptions the little girl had told them, including the time, the weapon, the
location, and the clothes the murderer had worn-even what the ten year old had
told her killer. “Everything the recipient reported was completely accurate.”
Was this just some bizarre coincidence? Or was there something more to the
heart she had so gratefully received?
Sometimes it is not just the memories and hobbies of a
person that change completely- even sexual preferences can alter; those who
have received organs from the opposite sex have sometimes found themselves
changing sexuality, or expressing a preference for a particular gender which
had not been there previously.
A 24 year old woman, who was the unfortunate victim of a
car accident,had her heart and lungs transplanted to a 25 year old male graduate
student who had cystic fibrosis. The donor was described by her sister as being
a “very sensual person”. She had loved painting, and was very gifted-she had
been on her way to her first solo showing when the accident occurred. “My
sister was not really very ‘out,’ but she was gay.” The donor enjoyed painting
landscapes, which she said were really “representations of the woman or mother
figure”.
So how did this affect the recipient? Fearing having a
woman’s heart “would make him gay”, he was surprised to find the opposite
effect. “I’ve been hornier than ever.” He reported-“Women just seem to look
even more erotic and sensual”. Could the transplant really be the cause of his
new found sexual prowess? “I have the same body, but I think I have a woman’s
way of thinking about sex now” he concludes. It wasn’t just his opinion
however- the recipients girlfriend noticed a change in her boyfriend; “He’s a
much better lover now.” Saying it was as though “he knows my body as well as I
do”. The girlfriend also commented upon the recipient’s new found love for
shopping and paintings.
Was it just coincidence? It’s certainly an interesting case-
but there’s no real evidence to suggest that the transplanted organs had
anything to do with the change in personality the recipient experienced. It’s easy
to say that being the recipient of a new organ may give you a new outlook on
life. You are given a second chance- which could certainly be a reason to make
any individual evaluate their life- living more vigorously than they had before.
It goes without
saying that finding any explanation for this can often lead to the metaphysical,
with suggestions that it is the donors “spirit” still lingering within the body
that causes these glimpses or “memory”. James Van Praagh, one of the “foremost spiritual
mediums in the world” suggests it could be that as most organ donors are young,
they are not yet ready to pass over. They have often died in unexpected, sudden
ways, and so Praagh makes the point that the spirits may ‘linger’ having not
yet completed their full time upon earth.
Although not all explanations are quite so metaphysical- research
has been conducted into the connection between the brain and body, and has
provided some explanations for the theory. There have been suggestions that it
is the role of short chains of amino acids, known as neuropeptides, which have
been found throughout the body. Although previously thought to exist solely
within the brain, it is now known that they are also found in other areas,
particularly within major organs like the heart. These neuropeptides could
therefore possibly account for the ‘memories’that are transplanted between
donor and recipient.
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