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Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Monro-Kellie Doctrine And My Father.


Alexander Monroe hypothesized in 1783 that brain resides in a confined box. Total volume of the brain remains constant and it is incompressible. Any time there is an increase in the volume of this box it will directly increase intracranial pressure and will compromise either one of the three contents; brain, cerebrospinal volume or blood.  Later George Kelly confirmed this observation in 1824.

Our memory is like that too. We only have a finite memory, our recall is limited. We only remember the most pertinent things. Stress plays a major role in memory loss, sustained stress cause damage to hippo-campus, which is essential for learning and memory. When we forget essential details during stress, that is due to Cortisol, which may also cause confusion in trauma and crisis. Maybe after delivery mother's develop some short term memory loss.... otherwise women may never want to be pregnant again.

My father taught me so many things. He practiced Medicine for almost 50 years, a very astute clinician.   When I was growing up, I had to wear a tie even in 1st grade. It took me a while to master the knot properly but he never gave up on me. My parents were visiting me some time ago and we were going out  for dinner. My mom came to me and asked me to help my dad. I went to his room and I found him standing in front of the mirror holding a tie with a look of confusion. I asked him what is wrong. He said I don't know how to tie a knot. I looked at him and remembered all the times when I had the same look when I was young. I tied his knot and we went our way.

They are visiting me this month. When I look back, I wish I be as caring and a good father as he has been to me all my life.

Blog you later,

About the picture: Still going through the museums.


2 comments:

Arshia said...

:) i like this one.... (and it is coming from a neurologist!).... it is the unknown and the abstract that make neurology so fascinating!

Raj said...

I am glad to know that you can knot a tie. Maybe I will see you wearing one. Say Hello ! to you dad.