MadSci Network: NeuroScience
Query:

Re: is personality defined by the interactions of the molecules in the brain

Area: NeuroScience
Posted By: Salvatore Cullari, Professor and Chair,Lebanon Valley College
Date: Wed Jun 25 16:00:18 1997
Area of science: NeuroScience
ID: 865977077.Ns
Message:
This is a very interesting and challenging question. Let’s start at the 
beginning and talk about the hippocampus. You are correct in saying that is 
involved in human memory (and probably that of animals as well).  It seems 
to be an integral part of the process of forming new memories such as 
learning facts or information (sometimes called explicit memory).  However, 
its role in other types of memories such as learning skills and habits or 
motor memory is less secure. In fact, most scientists are leaning towards 
the idea of having multiple memory systems as opposed to having just one.  
In a similar vein, scientists often talk about the hippocampus as being 
part of a larger memory system or systems that include other parts of the 
brain such as the amygdala.  At the very least,  it is probably more 
accurate use the label of a hippocampal system as opposed to simply the 
hippocampus.  

From there, your question becomes even more difficult to answer because you 
seem to be equating memory with personality (which is a giant leap). An 
important issue here is that most psychologists have problems simply 
agreeing on the definition for personality.  For example, some 
psychologists (radical behaviorists) argue against the idea that a 
personality  actually exists.  Even those who accept the notion of 
personality as real see it primarily as a construct (an abstract idea) 
rather than something tangible that you could literally see and hold.  My 
own bias is that our personality is much more than simply the total 
integration of our memories, but I may be wrong.   In support of your idea,  
we do know that persons suffering from  Alzheimer’s Disease (which, by the 
way,  involves the hippocampus) undergo a personality change.  However, it 
is fairly clear that our personality (whatever it is)  is not limited to 
the hippocampus alone.

Regarding the last part of your question, to my knowledge there have not 
been any studies that show personality changes or switches from hippocampal 
fluid transfers. I doubt that any such studies have been done (at least 
with humans).  Such studies more than likely would not be considered to be 
ethical.  In addition, You seem to be assuming an extreme reductionistic 
approach here.  Scientists who favor more of a holistic approach might 
question whether we would be able to transfer a personality from one person 
to another even if we were able to (or allowed) to make complete brain 
transplants.  In any event, we really don’t have the complete answers to 
your question yet.  For more information look up memory and/or hippocampus 
on the Internet. An interesting college level book in this area is called 
“Looking for Memory”, by Daniel Schacter (Basic Books, 1996). 


Current Queue | Current Queue for NeuroScience | NeuroScience archives

Try the links in the MadSci Library for more information on NeuroScience.



MadSci Home | Information | Search | Random Knowledge Generator | MadSci Archives | Mad Library | MAD Labs | MAD FAQs | Ask a ? | Join Us! | Help Support MadSci


MadSci Network
© 1997, Washington University Medical School
webadmin@www.madsci.org