Anecdotal evidence suggests the real possibility that organ transplants could cause personality changes. However, more research is needed.
In an opinion piece on MedPage Today, psychiatrist and professor of psychiatry Mitch Liester recounts a story about one of his patients.
He writes that Mary had been experiencing recurrent, intrusive memories of being hit by a car. In these “memories”, she not only saw herself being struck by the car but felt the impact as the car struck her torso, sending her airborne. The catch? Mary had never been hit by a car. When questioned about any trauma, Mary recounted she had undergone heart transplant surgery just before the onset of these new memories. Her transplant surgery had gone well, but she was left wondering, “Could my new heart have anything to do with these new memories?”
The story of Mary’s experience raises intriguing questions about the potential link between organ transplants and personality changes.
Mary’s donor was a pre-adolescent boy who tragically lost his life in a car accident. Learning this information brought Mary a sense of relief and closure, yet it sparked curiosity about the profound effects of organ transplantation on one's identity and psyche.
Research in the field dates back to the 1990s when neuropsychologist Paul Pearsall investigated changes in the personality of heart transplant recipients. His study found striking parallels between the recipients’ post-transplant personalities and their donors’ preferences, including food, music and career choices.
Subsequent studies have also reported changes in recipients' sense of smell, food preferences, and emotions following various organ transplants.
Theories abound regarding the mechanisms behind these observed changes. Some researchers speculate that immunosuppressive drugs, the trauma of surgery or the acquisition of information about the donor could play a role.
However, Pearsall proposed the intriguing concept of cellular memory, suggesting that memories and personality traits could be transferred via cellular components such as DNA, RNA or proteins exchanged between donor and recipient cells.
While the exact mechanisms remain unclear, the implications are profound.
Understanding the potential for personality changes following organ transplantation informs medical practice and raises ethical considerations.
Patients like Mary may face difficult decisions regarding medication adherence and identity integration post-transplant.
Mitch Liester concluded that further studies are needed to unravel the mysteries of organ transplantation's impact on personality and identity.
He writes: ‘Further studies exploring personality changes following organ transplants may teach us not only about the types of personality changes that can occur but also increase our understanding of different aspects of personality and various processes involved in storing and retrieving memories. Although anecdotes do not prove personality changes occur as a result of organ transplantation, they do suggest the possibility of such changes and provide a starting point for further explorations into this fascinating area of medical science.’
