The ghost in my brain : how a concussion stole my life and how the new science of brain plasticity helped me get it back / Clark Elliott, PhD.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Part 1: Concussion. Midnight ; The size of the problem : the magnificence of the human brain ; Through the kaleidoscope ; The crash ; Something is wrong ; Do you know your name? ; Word maps gone awry ; Why are you here? ; Apple, scarf, tree -- Part 2: The components of cognition. Background ; The human machine is broken ; Balance in the symbolic world ; Visual/spatial patterns, shapes, relationships ; Time is a metaphor ; The building blocks of cognition and the metacognitive voice ; At least we can laugh : pain and humor ; Processing the audio signal ; Social challenges ; Physical changes ; Spiraling downward -- Part 3: The ghost returns. Meet Dr. Dots! ; Brain glasses ; The ghost -- Part 4: The science of brain plasticity. Donalee Markus and her designs for strong minds ; Deborah Zelinsky and the mind-eye connection.

"In 1999, Clark Elliott suffered a concussion when his car was rear-ended. Overnight his life changed from that of a rising professor with a research career in artificial intelligence to a humbled man struggling to get through a single day. At times he couldn't walk across a room, or even name his five children. Doctors told him he would never fully recover. After eight years, the cognitive demands of his job, and of being a single parent, finally became more than he could manage. As a result of one final effort to recover, he crossed paths with two brilliant Chicago-area research-clinicians--one an optometrist emphasizing neurodevelopmental techniques, the other a cognitive psychologist--working on the leading edge of brain plasticity. Within weeks the ghost of who he had been started to re-emerge. Remarkably, Elliott kept detailed notes throughout his experience, from the moment of impact to the final stages of his recovery, astounding documentation that is the basis of this fascinating book. The Ghost in My Brain gives hope to the millions who suffer from head injuries each year, and provides a unique and informative window into the world's most complex computational device: the human brain"-- Provided by publisher.

"The dramatic story of one man's recovery offers new hope to those suffering from concussions and other brain traumas. In 1999, Clark Elliott suffered a concussion when his car was rear-ended. Overnight his life changed from that of a rising professor with a research career in artificial intelligence to a humbled man struggling to get through a single day. At times he couldn't walk across a room, or even name his five children. Doctors told him he would never fully recover. After eight years, the cognitive demands of his job, and of being a single parent, finally became more than he could manage. As a result of one final effort to recover, he crossed paths with two brilliant Chicago-area research-clinicians--one an optometrist emphasizing neurodevelopmental techniques, the other a cognitive psychologist--working on the leading edge of brain plasticity. Within weeks the ghost of who he had been started to re-emerge. Remarkably, Elliott kept detailed notes throughout his experience, from the moment of impact to the final stages of his recovery, astounding documentation that is the basis of this fascinating book. The Ghost in My Brain gives hope to the millions who suffer from head injuries each year, and provides a unique and informative window into the world's most complex computational device: the human brain"-- Provided by publisher.