蜜芽传媒

Helen Santoro was born with a hole in her brain. Her whole left temporal lobe is missing, a region associated with memory, emotion, and especially language. Doctors warned of many problems but one thing was certain, they said, she would never talk. But Helen grew up, went to school, chatted with her friends and nothing seemed amiss.

Eventually the doctors told her "Please go home - you are just too normal!" Years later, she graduated in neuroscience and is now taking part in more brain studies as a research subject, and the findings so far have already revolutionised our understanding on how the brain compensates for damage.

Helen, who is now a science reporter, shares her story with Newsday, saying "it was quite the beginning to my life."

(Photo: Helen Santoro's brain scan, Credit: Helen Santoro)