How very weird...

Kate P

Registered User
Jul 6, 2007
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Merseyside
I've just picked up on something from Jennifer's comment on one of the other threads (Birthday Present).

My mum can barely speak - I believe she has FLD. She can on a good day say an occasional word such as yes or no (although she mixes up the meaning of them) but when we take her to church she can sing along with the hymns.

Is that weird? Has anyone else found this?
 

Grannie G

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Apr 3, 2006
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Kent
What about Gareth Gates, whose stammer was so debilitating, yet his singing was word perfect.

And my mother, who lost all her speech and comprehension, was able to speak her own name, right until the end.

Memory, ability, who knows.
 

Mameeskye

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Aug 9, 2007
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My Mum is also word perfect still at Nursery Rhymes and Hymns and some other songs. It amazes me the way that memory works!

Mameeskye
 

Nell

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Aug 9, 2005
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Have no idea why, but I know that children who do not speak are often given stimulation that involves movement and music.

I (very hazily!) remember something about singing being a different part of the brain to speaking - but am more than willing to be corrected by those who know!!
 

jenniferpa

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Jun 27, 2006
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Funny you should mention this: there's a new book coming out in October that was reviewed in Newsweek last week that seems to talk about this. Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks. I'm looking forward to reading it.

http://www.amazon.com/Musicophilia-Tales-Music-Oliver-Sacks/dp/1400040817

My mother's grasp of music, particularly lyrics, was essentially uinimpared, right up to the end. In fact, she could always come up with a suitable snippet of song for any occasion, and would regale her carers accordingly. Also my daughter studied memory and music in college, and she was telling me about someone (a musician/composer)who had a serious head trauma, who completely lost his short-term memory but could still remember how to play all the instruments he had played and compose as well.
 

cris

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Aug 23, 2006
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Music & songs are stored in a different part of the brain, I was told some time ago. Which was why my Susan could (up until recently) sing along with all the old songs that she "knew" in the 60's 70's, although could not find a drinking glass in the kitchen or do much else. Music was a big outlet for her until she started getting upset with the songs, and accused me playing "these particular" songs to upset her. :eek:
cris
 

Kate P

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Jul 6, 2007
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Merseyside
The brain certainly is a crazy, crazy thing. Who knows that better than us on TP??:)

I find it odd that the part of my mum's brain that is deterioating and so has stunted her language and has dulled her emotions is the part of my daughter that is currently developing increasing her language and making her an emotional wreck (terrible twos:eek: ).
 

zebb37

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Aug 12, 2007
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salisbury
Anne's language skills have always been highly developed - she was a first class saleswoman - and still are.

All this goes to do is mask the all too swift deterioration in other arrears.

As for singing my dear wife has always been tone deaf and I really hope she doesn't take up the art as a full time hobby:eek:
 

Mameeskye

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Aug 9, 2007
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Kate

You have noticed the very thing that I did as my mother slipped into her dementia and my twins changed from babies to boys. It was almost as if my mother lost her skills so that they could acquire them. Is there a limited skill set in the world? :confused: ;)

She retains her song library as there are still so many of those for my sons to learn.:D

Mameeskye