A leading neurologist has argued that early, targeted and intensive therapy can sometimes bring about life-changing improvements for patients with severe brain injuries, challenging the long-held dogma that broken brains do not mend.
Dr Orlando Swayne, a consultant neurologist and co-lead of the pioneering neurorehabilitation unit at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, says recent discoveries in neuroplasticity have profound implications for patient care.
He describes the case of Claire, a mother in her late 30s who suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm and was left unable to speak, with her left arm and both legs immobile. Despite her severe impairment, Dr Swayne believes that with the right therapy, meaningful recovery is possible.
Dr Swayne initially trained in neurosurgery but switched to neurology and stroke medicine, where he observed that patients who worked with therapists showed improvement over time. He argues that the brain's ability to reorganise and form new connections is key to recovery.
In his new book, How to Use a Fork: Stories of Mending the Broken Brain, Dr Swayne calls for a moral obligation to provide early and intensive neurorehabilitation to all patients who might benefit.
