Cellular Memory — Organ Recipients With Characteristics of Donor May 19, 2008
Posted by Bob Aronson in Cellular Memory.trackback
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“A 47-year-old Caucasian male received a heart from a 17-year-old African-American male. The recipient was surprised by his new-found love of classical music. What he discovered later was that the donor, who loved classical music and played the violin, had died in a drive-by shooting, clutching his violin case to his chest.”
“An eight-year-old girl received the heart of a ten-year-old girl who had been murdered. After the transplant, the recipient had horrifying nightmares of a man murdering her donor. The dreams were so traumatic that psychiatric help was sought. The girl’s images were so specific that the psychiatrist and the mother notified the police. According to the psychiatrist, “. . .using the description from the little girl, they found the murderer. He was easily convicted with the evidence the patient provided”
Some people, including prominent scientists and researchers believe that each cell in your body contains a “memory” of your personality, likes and dislikes and even emotions. So far, it appears as though this “memory” has found itself primarily in heart transplant patients but there are reports of cell memory in other transplant patients as well. The evidence manifests itself in the transplant patient taking on some of the characteristics of the donor.
As you may know, I had a heart transplant eight months ago and while I do not dismiss the possibility of Cellular Memory I believe I am the same person I was prior to the surgery. Additionally, of all the transplant patients I know, I have not heard any of them suggest that they have changed or had feelings that did not belong to them.
The examples quoted above come from a paper written by Leslie A. Takeuchi, BA, PTA, a physical therapist assistant and currently a graduate student in Holistic Health Education at John. F. Kennedy University in Orinda, California. To read the full text go to: http://www.med.unc.edu/wellness/main/links/cellular%20memory.htm
According to Ms.Takeuchi’s paper, “Medical opinion is skeptical over whether organ recipients can gain more than just a lifeline from their transplants. But Gary Schwartz, a professor of medicine, neurology, psychiatry and surgery at the University of Arizona, says research by a team he leads has found definite links. He calls it ‘cellular memory’.
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He has documented 70 cases where he believes transplant recipients have inherited the traits of their donors. Prof Schwartz said, “When the organ is placed in the recipient, the information and energy stored in the organ is passed on to the recipient. The theory applies to any organ that has cells that are interconnected. They could be kidneys, liver and even muscles.”
I like to think I am a practical person but I am also open minded and while the idea of Cellular Memory sounds a little “out there” to me I would like to know more. What are your experiences readers? If you have been an organ recipient do you feel as though you are different? Have you heard any stories from other transplant patients who feel “different” as a result of the surgery. All of us here would sure like to hear from you.
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Please read and comment on my World Wide Issues blogs on http://blogsbybob.wordpress.com. Also…visit my Facebook site, Organ Transplant Patients, Friends and You at http://tinyurl.com/225cfh OR — my Facebook home page http://www.facebook.com/home.php
[...] music. What he discovered later was that the donor, who loved classical music and played the viohttp://bobsnewheart.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/cellular-memory-organ-recipients-with-characteristics-o…Annals of Internal Medicine tip sheet for May 20, 2008, issue EurekAlert!An evaluation of all [...]
I am very impressed with your website. Congratulations on your Heart Transplant.
I had a double lung transplant on 9/30/05. I can offer two things that have changed since the transplant. For one thing I used to be a big coffee lover, our huge coffee pot was always on, 24/7.
Since my transplant all I really drink is water. I can’t stand drinking coffee. I like the smell, but I have never been able to drink a whole cup, so I don’t try.
The other thing is a little one, but after transplant when our kids were visiting I asked if anyone would like a soda. My kids turned to me and asked, “since when did you start say soda?” I don’t know it just came out so easily. In Pittsburgh we say Pop, not soda. My donor is from Charleston, WV. I don’t know if that means anything at all. I know the organs came from Charleston, but I don’t really know just where he is from.
I’m new to blogging, so my site will get going as soon as I learn how to do some things.
Sandy
greetings,
first of all congrats on the transplant..
i was wondering if you have any more information regarding how recipients would feel after transplants or even blood transfusions..
i am very interested in the matter
What an open minded blog. Congratulations. Sorry to say i know of no evidence to support either side of the quest. But I have a VERY VAGUE feeling that blood transfusions affect personality very slightly. But I am sure it is so transient, no body notices it. Then again, there is nothing paranormal there. Many other proteins apart from cells get into you through transfusion – such as antibodies, cytokines, and loads of bits of hormones, neural transmitters etc. which sure affect the recipient. But this will never make you see the world in a different light or gain new likes and dislikes. Its just a body response to received chemicals and will fade away before anyone notices it. Hope this helps.
Hi congrats on the heart transplant, last November I donated a kidney to my mother. Since then my mother has complained that she has inherited a couple of my annoying habits such as waking up early (which she never did)and a physical habit of tapping her foot (which she used to always tell me irritated her). Myself and the whole family have noticed it and can’t believe it.
[...] and german blood. So who am I, really? What characteristics does one take on from ancestry. If cells truly have individual memory apart from brain cells, then could my cells that share DNA with my distant ancestors, be contributing to the [...]
I believe this is true. Some of my friends who’ve had transplants do mention that from time to time they felt differently and acted more like their donors. I would think it happens to a percentage of people.
For me, not really. Don’t think I got any of my donor’s traits, at least not that I or he can tell.
Hello . my sister just received bone marrow from my other sister a month ago .Both are very differant in personalities.Im seeing a big difference in personallity of sis with lukema who got transplant .Is it possable the transplant gave her traits of other sister too ? thank you
It is possible but there doesn’t seem to be much medical evidence that so called “cellular memory” is real. There are several reported individual cases of this happening but medical professionals are skeptical about it.