On Monday my Anatomy and Physiology teacher showed us this video on Chase Britton. It correlated very well with our topic that day, the brain. We were learning the anatomy and functions of the parts of the brain. This story really attracted my attention. The class before we were told that the cerebellum controls motor skills and balance. We also learned that the pons of the brain stem controls the breathing and sleep cycles. You would assume that without either of these crawling, walking, basic motor functions would be impossible. Before this video I would have gone far enough to say that without a cerebellum or pons the chance of living would be slim to none.
Mrs. Britton’s pregnancy had complications and tracing back to the MRI taken before Chase was born showed that he, at one time, had a cerebellum. Question is, where did it go? An MRI taken after he was one year old showed no cerebellum or pons on the brain stem. There was just fluid where these two structures should be.
His story has resurfaced in the past week because he has astonished the medical community by being able to walk. He has a frame for support, but he is still functioning out the movements of walking.
The fact that Chase Britton is being able to do this must make the scientists rethink what the cerebellum actually controls. Does the cerebellum play a role in balance?
This story plays right along with what we are learning in our class. It has really caught my attention and I have stayed updated on his daily progressions. This story has made me realize that I chose the right major. I am so interested in the functions of the body, how and why they work.
I am interested in how the scientists tackle this new information. Will they change the functions of the brain? How will they find the new functions of the brain and be able to convince people again that this is the exact function.
One of my main questions I have is, is this just a freak accident? That he is acting by some form of miracle and that any other child would not be able to have had the progression that he has?
I believe in miracles, but I do not know how much I believe in defying the laws of science. I may have to make another blog in the weeks to come about this evolving story!
Yea that’s just crazy im not too smart in how the brain works and what controls what but that’s just crazy I think that just goes to show that some scientist back in the day were just guessing on some things. But it probably does help with balance somehow. Seems like your major would be kind of fun!
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