8/11/2019 Cas HM - NY Times 2008

1/5

H. M., an Unforgettable Amnesiac, Dies

at 82

By BENEDICT CAREY

Published: December 4, 2008

Si! "# $e%" !&r&'r&!h

Related

H.M.s Brain and the History of Memory(nr.org!

(e $e) "h&" his *&"her+s *&mily c&me *r#m Thib#d&u%, &-, &$d his m#"her )&s *r#m

Irel&$d, &$d he $e) &b#u" "he ./2/ s"#c m&re" cr&sh &$d #rld &r II &$d li*e i$ "he

./40s-

Bu" he c#uld remember &lm#s" $#"hi$' &*"er "h&"-

I$ ./1, he u$der)e$" &$ e%!erime$"&l br&i$ #!er&"i#$ i$ (&r"*#rd "# c#rrec" &sei3ure

dis#rder, #$ly "# emer'e *r#m i" *u$d&me$"&lly &$d irre!&r&bly ch&$'ed- (e deel#!ed &

sy$dr#me $eur#l#'is"s c&ll !r#*#u$d &m$esi&- (e h&d l#s" "he &bili"y "# *#rm $e)

mem#ries-

5#r "he $e%" 11 ye&rs, e&ch "ime he me" & *rie$d, e&ch "ime he &"e & me&l, e&ch "ime he

)&led i$ "he )##ds, i" )&s &s i* *#r "he *irs" "ime-

A$d *#r "h#se *ie dec&des, he )&s rec#'$i3ed &s "he m#s" im!#r"&$" !&"ie$" i$ "he

his"#ry #* br&i$ scie$ce- As & !&r"ici!&$" i$ hu$dreds #* s"udies, he hel!ed scie$"is"s

u$ders"&$d "he bi#l#'y #* le&r$i$', mem#ry&$d !hysic&l de%"eri"y, &s )ell &s "he *r&'ile

$&"ure #* hum&$ ide$"i"y-

6$ Tuesd&y ee$i$' &" 1:01, (e$ry 7us"& #l&is#$ 9 $#)$ )#rld)ide #$ly &s (--, "# !r#"ec" his !ri&cy 9 died #* res!ir&"#ry *&ilure&" & $ursi$' h#me i$ i$ds#r

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/benedict_carey/index.html?inline=nyt-perhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/05hm.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper#secondParagraphhttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7584970http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/epilepsy/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/epilepsy/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/epilepsy/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/memory-loss/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/mental-status-tests/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/respiratory-acidosis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/respiratory-acidosis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/c/benedict_carey/index.html?inline=nyt-perhttp://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/us/05hm.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper#secondParagraphhttp://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7584970http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/epilepsy/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/epilepsy/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/memory-loss/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/mental-status-tests/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifierhttp://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/respiratory-acidosis/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier

8/11/2019 Cas HM - NY Times 2008

2/5

#cs, C#$$- (is de&"h )&s c#$*irmed by Su3&$$e C#ri$, & $eur#scie$"is" &" "he

&ss&chuse""s I$s"i"u"e #* Tech$#l#'y, )h# h&d )#red cl#sely )i"h him *#r dec&des-

(e$ry #l&is#$ )&s 82-

5r#m "he &'e #* 2, )he$ he emb&red #$ & li*e &s &$ #b;ec" #* i$"e$sie s"udy, he lied

)i"h his !&re$"s, "he$ )i"h & rel&"ie &$d *i$&lly i$ &$ i$s"i"u"i#$- (is &m$esi& did $#"d&m&'e his i$"ellec" #r r&dic&lly ch&$'e his !ers#$&li"y- Bu" he c#uld $#" h#ld & ;#b &$d

lied, m#re s# "h&$ &$y mys"ic, i$ "he m#me$"-

$iersi"y #*

C&li*#r$i&, Iri$e, &$d !reside$" #* "he S#cie"y *#r Neur#scie$ce-

8/11/2019 Cas HM - NY Times 2008

3/5

*r#m sur'ery #r &ccide$"s, &l"ered !e#!le+s mem#ry i$ )&ys "h&" )ere $#" e&sily

!redic"&ble- Ee$ &s Dr- il$er !ublished her resul"s, m&$y rese&rchers &""ribu"ed (-

-+s de*ici"s "# #"her *&c"#rs, lie 'e$er&l "r&um& *r#m his sei3ures #r s#me

u$rec#'$i3ed d&m&'e-

8/11/2019 Cas HM - NY Times 2008

4/5

e%!lici" &$d im!lici", &$d !r#ided "he b&sis *#r eery"hi$' "h&" c&me l&"er 9 "he s"udy

#* hum&$ mem#ry &$d i"s dis#rders-=

ii$' &" his !&re$"s+ h#use, &$d l&"er )i"h & rel&"ie "hr#u'h "he ./0s, r- #l&is#$

hel!ed )i"h "he sh#!!i$', m#)ed "he l&)$, r&ed le&es &$d rel&%ed i$ *r#$" #* "he

"eleisi#$- (e c#uld $&i'&"e "hr#u'h & d&y &""e$di$' "# mu$d&$e de"&ils 9 *i%i$' &lu$ch, m&i$' his bed 9 by dr&)i$' #$ )h&" he c#uld remember *r#m his *irs" 2

ye&rs-

(e &ls# s#meh#) se$sed *r#m &ll "he scie$"is"s, s"ude$"s &$d rese&rchers !&r&di$'

"hr#u'h his li*e "h&" he )&s c#$"ribu"i$' "# & l&r'er e$der, "h#u'h he )&s u$cer"&i$

&b#u" "he de"&ils, s&id Dr- C#ri$, )h# me" r- #l&is#$ )hile s"udyi$' i$ Dr- il$er+s

l&b#r&"#ry &$d )h# c#$"i$ued "# )#r )i"h him u$"il his de&"h-

By "he "ime he m#ed i$"# & $ursi$' h#me i$ ./80, &" &'e 14, he h&d bec#me $#)$ "#

Dr- C#ri$+s -I-T- "e&m i$ "he )&y "h&" P#l&r#id s$&!sh#"s i$ & !h#"# &lbum mi'h"

se"ch #u" & li*e bu" $#" ree&l i" )h#le-

(- - c#uld rec#u$" childh##d sce$es: (ii$' "he #h&) Tr&il- A r#&d "ri! )i"h his

!&re$"s- T&r'e" sh##"i$' i$ "he )##ds $e&r his h#use-

8/11/2019 Cas HM - NY Times 2008

5/5

(e$ry 7us"& #l&is#$, b#r$ #$ 5eb- 2, ./2, le*" $# suri#rs- (e le*" & le'&cy i$

scie$ce "h&" c&$$#" be er&sed-