Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness
Brain injury can result in an increase in positive emotions. We describe a 63-year-old man who presented with a prominent personality change after a gunshot wound to the head. He became “content,” light-hearted, and prone to joking and punning. Prior to his brain injury, he suffered from frequent de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Case Reports in Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5702578 |
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| author | Mario F. Mendez Leila Parand |
| author_facet | Mario F. Mendez Leila Parand |
| author_sort | Mario F. Mendez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brain injury can result in an increase in positive emotions. We describe a 63-year-old man who presented with a prominent personality change after a gunshot wound to the head. He became “content,” light-hearted, and prone to joking and punning. Prior to his brain injury, he suffered from frequent depression and suicidal ideation, which subsequently resolved. Examination showed a large right calvarial defect and right facial weakness, along with memory impairment and variable executive functions. Further testing was notable for excellent performance on joke comprehension, good facial emotional recognition, adequate Theory of Mind, and elevated happiness. Neuroimaging revealed loss of much of the right frontal and right anterior lobes and left orbitofrontal injury. This patient, and the literature, suggests that frontal predominant injury can facilitate the emergence of mirth along with a sense of increased happiness possibly from disinhibited activation of the subcortical reward/pleasure centers of the ventral striatal limbic area. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ab3144a6902e4bec955d307940ccce15 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2090-682X 2090-6838 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Case Reports in Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj-art-ab3144a6902e4bec955d307940ccce152025-08-20T02:20:12ZengWileyCase Reports in Psychiatry2090-682X2090-68382020-01-01202010.1155/2020/57025785702578Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and HappinessMario F. Mendez0Leila Parand1Department of Neurology, USANeurology Service, Neurobehavior Unit, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, USABrain injury can result in an increase in positive emotions. We describe a 63-year-old man who presented with a prominent personality change after a gunshot wound to the head. He became “content,” light-hearted, and prone to joking and punning. Prior to his brain injury, he suffered from frequent depression and suicidal ideation, which subsequently resolved. Examination showed a large right calvarial defect and right facial weakness, along with memory impairment and variable executive functions. Further testing was notable for excellent performance on joke comprehension, good facial emotional recognition, adequate Theory of Mind, and elevated happiness. Neuroimaging revealed loss of much of the right frontal and right anterior lobes and left orbitofrontal injury. This patient, and the literature, suggests that frontal predominant injury can facilitate the emergence of mirth along with a sense of increased happiness possibly from disinhibited activation of the subcortical reward/pleasure centers of the ventral striatal limbic area.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5702578 |
| spellingShingle | Mario F. Mendez Leila Parand Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness Case Reports in Psychiatry |
| title | Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness |
| title_full | Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness |
| title_fullStr | Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness |
| title_short | Positive Emotions from Brain Injury: The Emergence of Mirth and Happiness |
| title_sort | positive emotions from brain injury the emergence of mirth and happiness |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/5702578 |
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