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Can Chiari Surgery Change A Person's Personality?

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Posted on Tue, 7 Apr 2015
Question: I had chiari surgery, can it change a person's personality?
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Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (20 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
No

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

I have noted your concern, however, I would like to reassure you that Chiari surgery can not change a person's personality.

Chiari surgery involves lower brainstem, cerebellum and cervical cord. On the other hand, personality depends on cerebral cortex, which is not involved in Chiari surgery.

I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.

Wishing you good health,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Follow up: Dr. Sudhir Kumar (19 minutes later)
I had the following symptoms prior to my surgery and now, these same symptoms have started to come back, they include cognitive short term memory loss, spelling, writing sentences correctly, loss of balance, headaches, blurry vision. the short term memory is the worst of the symptoms, I have been in meetings where I can't remember the context of the meeting. my employer asks me questions and I have to find a co-worker who was in the meeting to help me answer the question. while typing this, I have had to re-read and re-type most of the sentences because I am not transferring the information accurately. yesterday I was so emotionally unbalanced I thought of suicide and had to connect with my doctor and therapist. these things are not me. can I have fluid in my brain area, or could their have been damage that the neurosurgeon wasn't aware of? he removed the skull and decompressed the nerve but could there be more involved? I am scheduled to see a neurologist in mid-april. should I ask him for an MRI to be sure there isn't anything wrong. I understand you cannot diagnose what is happening to me, without tests. but what is happening to me isn't me. writing this has made me realize there isn't anything you can say or do to help me. thank you..
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sudhir Kumar (5 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Further evaluation would help.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for getting back and providing more information.

I can understand that you have features of mild cognitive impairment. However, these symptoms are not connected to either Chiari or the surgery for it.

MRI of brain should be done to exclude any unrelated problems such as ischemia or stroke (due to lack of blood supply to brain).

In addition, anxiety and depression can also worsen cognitive functions.

Blood tests for thyroid and vitamin B12 level should also be checked.

I am sure you would get better with treatment and hence, there is no need to worry.

Best wishes,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Sudhir Kumar

Neurologist

Practicing since :1994

Answered : 6232 Questions

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Can Chiari Surgery Change A Person's Personality?

Brief Answer: No Detailed Answer: Hi, Thank you for posting your query. I have noted your concern, however, I would like to reassure you that Chiari surgery can not change a person's personality. Chiari surgery involves lower brainstem, cerebellum and cervical cord. On the other hand, personality depends on cerebral cortex, which is not involved in Chiari surgery. I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information. Wishing you good health, Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist Apollo Hospitals, XXXXXXX XXXXXXX Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in