AVM and Left handedness --- question

[RealMickeysGirl]

I have tried to google this but I haven't found anything that explains what this neurosurgeon told me the last time my dad was in the emergency room.

Background: My dad had an AVM bleed in Sept 06, had a shunt put in his brain in Jan 07, had gamma knife treatment Sept 07.

A few weeks ago, I had to take him to the emergency room here in Montgomery - he was having the same symptoms of the original stroke (slurred speach, not making sense when he talked, not wanting to get out of bed, stumbling when trying to walk, listing when trying to walk, etc.).

They did a ct scan with dye and determined that the area of the brain where he had the gamma knife treatment was swelling. They ended up transfering him to Birmingham to his regular neurosurgeon. They kept him in the hospital for a few days and gave him steriods for the swelling. Then transfered him to a rehab hospital for PT, OT, ST. He is home now - still doing outpatient PT and OT though.

His neurosurgeon said that the good news was that the swelling meant that the gamma knife treatment was working - they expected some swelling but dad's was swelling too much.

My question is this-- While at the emergency room, the neurosurgeon that came in asked if he is left handed, I said that he is. I asked what that had to do with it and he said that dad is left handed because he has an AVM. I asked if that meant that all left handed people had AVMs and he said no. Then he repeated that dad is left handed because of the avm. What does being left handed have to do with the AVM? Right handed and left handed people have them.

I thought that maybe there had been some medical study linking AVMs and left handed people but all the searches I tried on google failed to come up with something I could understand that supported the AVM/Left handed link.

Any Neurosurgeons/neurologists/neuro nurses who could answer this one for me?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Okay, I am neither a doctor or a nurse... ( Just playing one on the DIS!!!)

I actually had to look up AVM to make sure what it was...

Here is what I would make as an educated guess. Based on the neurological knowledge that I have picked up as I research and address my son's disability.

I would ask you if the AVM is on the left side of your dad's brain. Which is the side, most commonly, that is the control center for the for the right side of the body. From what I understand, there would not be a link between AVM and left handeness... The only link would be the location of the AVM, or any other brain impairment.

If this area on the left side of the brain has been affected by the AVM, then I would theorize that the wiring on the other side of the brain then kind of took over and became more dominant.

The neurologist would easily see which area of the brain is affected by the AVM, and then have a good idea that it might affect certain functions, such as handedness.

But the kicker is that the right brain is usually dominant in visual processing used for fine motor and hand-eye control... So, it really is not well understood at all the process of being left or right handed.

REMEMBER, as I said, I am NOT a doctor... And, to be sure, handedness is not always completely understood. My son's disability is known/suspected to affect the right side of the brain... Which would leave the left side more normal, and would indicate a 99.9% chance of right handedness. ( if the right brain is impaired, then why would it continue to be dominant in terms of handedness?????) But, my son, and some others with this disability, are in fact LEFT handed or ambidextrous..

Bottom line is, I wouldn't worry too much about it!!!

Just be concerned with your father's recovery and well being!!!

 

[luvindisneyworld]

I am not sure what he means.My Dmom had an AVM in 1998 and she is right handed. Thats just weird to me I dont know.hers was on the right side to.

My DM did not have to have a shunt but had to go through 13 hours of brain surgery and she has never been the same.I mean she walks kind of side ways sometimes and just some of the things she does just makes me sad.

I hope that your Dad is okay.
I really do worry about her as she has started having the really bad headaches again and they are getting worse they are not like they were before the AVM but they are really bad though.

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

Thanks to both of you for answering.

I wasn't really impressed with the neuro he saw in the emergency room. I plan to ask his neurosurgeon when he goes back for a visit in another week or so. If he has any answer as to why this is or why it isn't, I will post it.

Dad is doing ok - the biggest problem we have with him is that he doesn't want to stay up - he wants to stay in bed. He says it is because he is bored but can't you be bored sitting up in the den instead of bored staring at the ceiling in the bedroom?

He doesn't really like to watch tv, read, work puzzles (even though he did say he would try some jigsaws if I got them so we are going to try that this weekend) or much else. He was working up to the time he had the stroke. The only other thing he liked was hunting - and I would tell him that his idea of hunting was to go sleep in a deer stand - he would go hunting and when I asked if he saw anything he would just say he fell asleep. Once (several years ago) he even fell out of a stand but at least it wasn't to far up the tree and he didn't get hurt.

I have just got to find something for him to do that will keep his attention and keep him out of bed.

 

[stm61]

My question is this-- While at the emergency room, the neurosurgeon that came in asked if he is left handed, I said that he is. I asked what that had to do with it and he said that dad is left handed because he has an AVM. I asked if that meant that all left handed people had AVMs and he said no. Then he repeated that dad is left handed because of the avm. What does being left handed have to do with the AVM? Right handed and left handed people have them.

I thought that maybe there had been some medical study linking AVMs and left handed people but all the searches I tried on google failed to come up with something I could understand that supported the AVM/Left handed link.

Any Neurosurgeons/neurologists/neuro nurses who could answer this one for me?

Thanks in advance.

Is he maybe saying dad is now left-handed because of the damage done by the stroke? He's now left-hand dominent?

 

[RealMickeysGirl]

Is he maybe saying dad is now left-handed because of the damage done by the stroke? He's now left-hand dominent?

He has always been left handed. I don't know what this doc was trying to say but what I got from his statement was that dad is left handed because he was born with this avm in his brain.

I am really looking forward to asking his regular neurosurgeon about this the next time we go see him. I am really curious now.

 

[NY Disney fan]

I have nothing to add just wanted to say my sister had an AVM and she is right handed. Hope you dad is ok.