John Fetterman Shows How Well the Brain Recovers after Stroke Health - Neurology HEAD TOPICS

John Fetterman Shows How Well the Brain Recovers after Stroke

10/21/2022 4:25:00 PM

Following a stroke the brain s own repair processes can lead to a strong recovery in people such as Senate candidate John Fetterman

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Scientific American

Following a stroke the brain s own repair processes can lead to a strong recovery in people such as Senate candidate John Fetterman Following a stroke, the brain's own repair processes can lead to a strong recovery in people such as Senate candidate John Fetterman Five months later Fetterman sat down for an interview with NBC News where he used closed captioning technology to help manage the auditory processing issues caused by the stroke. “I sometimes will hear things in a way that’s not perfectly clear,” Fetterman told NBC News correspondent Dasha Burns. “So I use captioning so I’m able to see what you’re saying.” Oz and other Republicans have questioned Fetterman’s fitness for office and attacked him for needing accommodations. Aphasia, or the inability to understand or express speech, is very common following a stroke, impacting an estimated third of people who have one. (Fetterman’s campaign has denied he has aphasia, but some of his symptoms are consistent with the condition.) Those who have a stroke in their left brain hemisphere, which serves as the center of language processing in most people, are particularly vulnerable. For the brain to recover, it must modify and adapt to this new injury, a process known as neural plasticity. But neuroscientists still have many questions about how the brain rewires, particularly with regard to language. Read more:
Scientific American » The John Fetterman vs. Mehmet showdown in next week's Pa. Senate debate John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Senate candidate, releases updated letter from his doctor The Fetterman-Oz U.S. Senate debate will answer critical questions John Baer U.S. Senate candidate Fetterman releases doctor letter saying he is OK

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CNN News, delivered. Select from our newsletters below and enter your email to subscribe. Read more >> 'Strong recovery'? 😄 Ah, what the hell, it's not like Scientific American has any credibility left to lose. We should be asking if Fetterman’s stroke was caused by the COVID “vaccine,” as it’s widely known to cause blood clotting/clots & strokes. My father had a stroke 1-3 days after his 4th 💉. Now, he also has severe aphasia & chronic brain atrophy. Is Fetterman at risk of these too? Let's see how he would do in an in person debate....oh I forgot, he refused to do that. Such a timely piece... Trust the experts Unreal. Can’t escape politics anywhere. Or not, in people such as Senate candidate John Fetterman. 100% of scientists agree with the people who fund them When did Scientific American become a Democratic shill? Fetterman is obviously incapacitated and limited in his ability to serve in Senate. The magazine is parroting every progressive cause these days. A little too conveniently close to midterms don’t you think!? Stay out of politics. This is a joke, right? SA is the new TheBabylonBee . SA' s next article 'Joe Biden - Cognitive Brain Function at its Finest' He’s hidden everything about it. The John Fetterman vs. Mehmet showdown in next week's Pa. Senate debateHere's what we're watching for in the only major debate of this campaign: John Fetterman vs. Mehmet Oz. OZ VS. Tree Stump there fixed it for you. Biden keeps making false promises of reversing Roe vs Wade with bill if vote for DEMS! Never will happen! Supreme Courts already ended that! States would sue Fed Gov & win their case! States are where abortion will remain! Biden/Congress can’t do a thing to change that! What a joke! Commie sCieNce His brain is now so strong he doesn't even bother wearing a mask to protect others from Covid Now YOUR getting political too? FFS stay in your lane you clowns! Are you sure you want to go down this road Mr. Scientific people He needs to use a computer to communicate John Fetterman, Pennsylvania Senate candidate, releases updated letter from his doctorDemocratic Pennsylvania Senate candidate John Fetterman's campaign released an updated letter from his doctor on Wednesday, five months after he suffered a stroke only days before the state primary. It’s a liberal donor doctor You left that part out When John Fetterman was asked 'if you hand a magic wand and you could have one wish, what would it be?' He didn't say 'I would end our inflation problem.' 'He said 'I would END long sentences for MURDERERS.' The Doctor ... the DONOR. This guy and the whole party are a SHAM. The Fetterman-Oz U.S. Senate debate will answer critical questions John BaerKey questions for Pa.'s one U.S. Senate debate include: Do debates matter? Can they change minds? Will Fetterman falter? Can Oz demonstrate public service and policy cred to balance his celebrity image? And do voters actually watch on Tuesday from 8 to 9 p.m.? JohnFetterman wont' debate, He is literally still drooling and needs assistance to answer any questions. U.S. Senate candidate Fetterman releases doctor letter saying he is OKDemocratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman of Pennsylvania released a doctor's letter on Wednesday that said he was recovering well from a stroke and has no work restrictions. While reading questions asked of him off his teleprompter 🤦‍ Who Dr.Seuss? There isn’t anything that this guy could provide that will stop the gop from their attempt to discredit him. He’s a great candidate Gisele Fetterman, forging on through her husband’s heated Senate raceAs Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman recovers from a stroke while running for senator, his wife has emerged as a passionate voice — not only for him but for others. This guy wants to release murderers back into society that is not normal thinking I thought that was Alec Baldwins wife 🤣 Maybe Gisele should run Rather than John? Biden awkwardly tells Gisele Fetterman she will be a ‘great lady in the Senate’President Biden on Thursday said John Fetterman’s wife Gisele would make a “great lady in the Senate” in an awkward stumble amid questions over the Senate candidate’s health after a stroke. Not my meme. So good. I had to share it. Does this clown even own a suit? He always looks like he just got out of bed. What a slob. John Fetterman, a Democratic candidate in a highly watched Pennsylvania Senate race against television personality Mehmet Oz, known as Dr.🗓 There are 20 days until Election Day.he suffered a stroke only days before the state primary and as he faces ongoing questions about his health from Republican opponent Dr.Updated: Oct. Oz, suffered an ischemic stroke—the obstruction of a vessel that supplies blood to a part of the brain—in May. The blockage causes brain cells to be starved of essential oxygen and nutrients. Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, has suggested Fetterman’s not up to the job of senator and also hasn’t been transparent about his condition. Within minutes, the cells start to die. 15 one day after the campaign says Fetterman had a follow-up visit with his primary care physician. Five months later Fetterman sat down for an interview with NBC News where he used closed captioning technology to help manage the auditory processing issues caused by the stroke. With only one debate (Fetterman insisted on a single event), it’ll be the first and only time many voters get to see both candidates speak outside of a TV ad. “I sometimes will hear things in a way that’s not perfectly clear,” Fetterman told NBC News correspondent Dasha Burns.m. “So I use captioning so I’m able to see what you’re saying., because Josh Shapiro and Doug Mastriano don’t have any scheduled in the governor’s race. Clifford Chen of UPMC.” Oz and other Republicans have questioned Fetterman’s fitness for office and attacked him for needing accommodations. Aphasia, or the inability to understand or express speech, is very common following a stroke, impacting an estimated third of people who have one.m. (Fetterman’s campaign has denied he has aphasia, but some of his symptoms are consistent with the condition.S.) Those who have a stroke in their left brain hemisphere, which serves as the center of language processing in most people, are particularly vulnerable. Oz and Fetterman will debate from abc27 studios in Harrisburg. With the race in a virtual tie. For the brain to recover, it must modify and adapt to this new injury, a process known as neural plasticity. But neuroscientists still have many questions about how the brain rewires, particularly with regard to language. It will be moderated by WHTM abc27 News anchor Dennis Owens and WPXI anchor Lisa Sylvester. Mark Makela / Getty Images "He spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits," his doctor wrote. The fundamental mysteries include how the surviving brain regions after a stroke take over the functions of language and why this reorganization process is more successful in some people than others, says Stephen Wilson, head of the Language Neuroscience Laboratory at Vanderbilt University. “There’s a lot to learn,” he adds. He has done a number of interviews, many of them televised, but this will be the first and maybe only chance for voters to see him in an extended exchange, with no edits. Part of answering these questions involves understanding how a healthy brain processes and creates language. His hearing of sound such as music is not affected. When humans are young, both the right and left brain hemispheres are heavily involved in speech, according to a 2020 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. Aside from the substance of his answers, it’s a chance to show voters he’s well enough to do the job. The researchers found that, starting at around six years old, the neural network involved in language gradually becomes more confined to the left hemisphere—although the right hemisphere still plays a role in processing things such as the emotion in someone’s voice. Young brains are very plastic and far more adept than older brains at responding to injuries. Julia had the scoop and the details. According to the letter, Fetterman's physical exam was normal with blood pressure 116/82. “In the womb and early after birth, neurons are just developing and connections are just forming, so with any stroke during that time, the brain has a massive ability to reorganize and rewire,” says Swathi Kiran, director of the Aphasia Research Laboratory at Boston University. In fact, a study published this month in PNAS found that, following a stroke in an infant’s left hemisphere, the language network flips over to the right hemisphere. “You have to be really careful about how you handle that, particularly as a physician,” said Berwood Yost, of Franklin & Marshall College. The investigation’s participants, who ranged from nine to 26 years old, have lived very normal and healthy lives despite their early-life strokes, says Elissa Newport, lead author of the study and director of the Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery at Georgetown University. Governor takes appropriate medications to optimize his heart condition and prevent future strokes," the letter states It also says he can walk four to five miles regularly without difficulty. How well the brain adapts, however, may be influenced by the size of the lesion caused by the stroke. “More people are like John Fetterman in terms of their health, dealing with some kind of health condition, than they are like Dr. I had a stroke while in the womb, resulting a hole in my left temporal lobe, a crucial language area. Interestingly, my language network remained in my left hemisphere, possibly because the lesion was small enough that there was sufficient healthy brain tissue left over for that network to operate, Newport suggests.” How will the closed captioning work? Fetterman will use closed captions at the debate, as he has for all of his one-on-one media interviews, to ensure he understands the questions amid his auditory processing challenges. Since then he has been holding rallies across the state. It’s unclear how long this ability to reorganize language to the opposite hemisphere—or successfully move it to the remaining healthy tissue—lasts. Scientists do know, however, that as people age, the brain’s neural networks, including the one for language, become more fixed. Viewers will be told at the top of the debate that Fetterman’s using the technology. “When [this network] is damaged in adulthood, it’s not like you can just rebuild that circuit elsewhere,” Wilson says.  "Since my stroke five months ago, one of the best parts of this campaign has been the unbelievable number of Pennsylvanians who have shared their own stories with us about the major health problems they've faced and overcome in their lives," Fetterman said in a statement upon releasing the doctor's letter. “There are only certain parts of the brain that can do this. How much will the candidates address each other? Can Oz relate? Oz is a polished daytime TV host who knows his camera angles and how to craft TV moments, but one of his biggest challenges has been proving he’s also a relatable Pennsylvanian.” Consequently, the location of the stroke is a big determinant in whether someone will be able to recover from their aphasia or not. In a study published in April in Brain, Wilson’s lab recruited 334 adults with a left hemisphere stroke, including 218 who were experiencing aphasia, and found that those with a lesion near the front of the brain recovered well from their initial aphasia. Fetterman’s debate demeanor: Even before his stroke, Fetterman wasn’t great at debates. Mehmet Oz who has accused him of a lack of transparency leading up to the election. This was the case even if the lesion extended into some parts of the left temporal and parietal lobes, respectively located behind the ear and at the back and top of the head. But people who had significant lesions in the temporoparietal junction, an area in the back of the temporal lobe where it meets the parietal lobe, experienced notable language deficits that lasted far longer than they did in the other adults. He has campaigned more on an ethos — “the union way of life” and “forgotten communities” — than wonky ideas. This region of the brain has long been known as crucial for language—particularly a part of the back of the left temporal lobe called Wernicke’s area, which was discovered in 1874 by German neurologist Carl Wernicke.  "It's not easy recovering from a stroke in public -- let alone doing it while running in the top Senate race in the country -- but John has worked hard to get here, and it shows," Fetterman campaign senior adviser Rebecca Katz said in a statement. The adult brain still has tremendous potential to heal itself within the first few months following a stroke, says Kiran, who has seen stroke patients recover from aphasia and go back to living a completely normal life. At others, he’s gruff and seems miffed by the notion that he should have to explain himself at all. Experts disagree as to when this recovery process plateaus, but it seems to be around six to nine months after the injury, she says. Still, more and more research is showing that “the ability for the brain to continue to recover and reorganize continues all life long,” Kiran says. Look for Fetterman to ask him again and again where he stands on Sen.  2022 Midterm Elections. This neural recovery process is likely occurring in Fetterman’s brain right now, although whether he will continue to suffer from residual auditory processing issues remains an unknown. “I feel like I’m going to get better and better every day. Most of Oz’s campaign has been about what he’s against: Fetterman, Joe Biden, Democrats, crime... What’s his vision as a senator? Fetterman on crime, Oz on abortion: Fetterman has faced a barrage of attack ads over his record on crime. ,” Fetterman said during the NBC interview. “I believe I’m going to be able to serve effectively. How do they respond on the fly, when their opponents will be picking through their records? Do either have good, concise answers for the issues weighing on their candidacies? 🤔 Will the debate actually matter? Sources we talk to think it will have more of an impact than debates usually do in these races, but how much is unclear.” .