mutism

[peoplesuck]

So i read this from some article:
"If you stop speaking, the number of neurons that are active, or could be active, for that process will get smaller, and the neurons that were once active for speech will become co-opted to do other things."

and i was wondering what the neurons that were active to speech would likely be adapted to.

 

[Grayman]

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/ninds_neuron.htm

This indicates some kind of migration pattern for the neurons during brain development but I am not certain how this works specific to the situation you described; still a good read I thought.

 

[Pyropyro]

well there's the term Neuroplasticity which simply means that the brain can adapt its neural pathways depending on what happens in our lives (behavior modification, accidents etc.)

The wiki article has the adage: "neurons that fire together, wire together"/"neurons that fire apart, wire apart"

So my totally amateurish answer is: whatever the mute person wants to use it with. Perhaps the neurons will be used for hand signals since the mute person may wish to communicate through sign language.

You might want to check Broca's area since it's the brain area associated with speech.

 

[computerhxr]

I stopped speaking for around 3 months at one point. There was always an internal self that speaks. When I attempted to speak again it felt weird and my voice cracked. It wasn't more than a day before my speech was normal again.

I looked it up and it's called elective mutism. Not sure if this is helpful as you are talking about neurons but I can tell you from experience it was not permanent or a big deal.

 

[QuickTwist]

I stopped speaking for around 3 months at one point. There was always an internal self that speaks. When I attempted to speak again it felt weird and my voice cracked. It wasn't more than a day before my speech was normal again.

I looked it up and it's called elective mutism. Not sure if this is helpful as you are talking about neurons but I can tell you from experience it was not permanent or a big deal.

Depends what stage of development your brain is in. Do it for a year in middle school and you will be able to see a diff in the person.

 

[peoplesuck]

The same article said that you will still use the same muscles a good amount, therefore how would this atrophy your brain?

 

[redbaron]

i was wondering what the neurons that were active to speech would likely be adapted to.

You said it: other things.

the neurons that were once active for speech will become co-opted to do other things."

Jokes aside I'd assume that the 'other things' they become co-opted to doing would be determined by whatever the currently relevant context demanded. If you're sitting in a group of people and not talking, the next thing most likely to demand cognitive resources from your immediate attention is probably the topic of conversation, facial expressions, tone of voice of participants.

Or maybe you daydream. Sorry, that wasn't even an answer.

 

[Anktark]

One of the voices in my head assured me he is a self-taught rocket surgeon and in his opinion, those neurons would not be used to improve some one or two specific tasks. It would be a slow free for all, but if the individual remains in same/similar environment and still wants to communicate, then listening, comprehension, intuition, body language/face expressiveness might get bigger shares.

Talking out of my arse is over and out.

 

[Grayman]

I figured it out!

Sign language.

 

[computerhxr]

Good point. I was only mute because I had no interest in talking to anyone. I guess that is an INTP thing.

I went for long periods of time not talking to people in elementary but every once in a while I would be forced to say something. Like role call when you have to say "here!" Otherwise I may have gone for years without having an extraverted conversation. For as long as I can remember, there has always been the internal self that doesn't ever shut up.

Is it possible that an extraverted thinker would have more problems than an introverted thinker?

Also talking in a forum is a lot like talking to myself. It's like being extroverted and introverted. So would someone who is mute also be unable to have a discussion in a forum? Would talking in a forum re-activate these neurons that are re-purposed?

Just freeballing some ideas...

 

[Teffnology]

There was a guy in Maine who had asbergers and left society to live in the woods at 19 years old. He was taken into custody 40 years later for petty theft cumulative over that period.

He made camp in the woods. Made eye contact with one hiker during his hermitage, he would "borrow" propane tanks, food, books, clothes, tools, supplies, etc from people's vacation homes and such during off season. He would only take what was needed and never did any property damage. He would return the items when he no longer used them. He didn't speak a word for 4 decades!

Transitioning to a jail environment was challenging but he mostly gets left alone now. Can't find the link but if you search Maine Hermit you should find it.

 

[QuickTwist]

Good point. I was only mute because I had no interest in talking to anyone. I guess that is an INTP thing.

I went for long periods of time not talking to people in elementary but every once in a while I would be forced to say something. Like role call when you have to say "here!" Otherwise I may have gone for years without having an extraverted conversation. For as long as I can remember, there has always been the internal self that doesn't ever shut up.

Is it possible that an extraverted thinker would have more problems than an introverted thinker?

Also talking in a forum is a lot like talking to myself. It's like being extroverted and introverted. So would someone who is mute also be unable to have a discussion in a forum? Would talking in a forum re-activate these neurons that are re-purposed?

Just freeballing some ideas...

*grunts* Mmm...Mmm.