A shocking study finds organ transplant recipients may end up with a lot more than just a new heart or kidney. According to researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine, the vast majority of these patients may end up inheriting the personality of their donor!
Imagine waking up from surgery not only with a new organ but also with a newfound love for chicken nuggets or suddenly feeling a rush of emotions that weren’t there before. Sounds like something from a sci-fi movie, right? Yet, for many organ transplant recipients, these changes are a real and bewildering experience.
Researchers set out to explore whether individuals who undergo organ transplants experience changes in their personalities and, if so, how common these changes are. They conducted a cross-sectional study involving 47 participants who received organ transplants, ranging from hearts to kidneys. The participants also completed an online survey about their experiences before and after their procedures.
An eye-opening 89 percent of respondents reported some form of personality change post-transplant. These changes varied widely from shifts in mood and temperament to alterations in their food preferences or levels of physical activity. Interestingly, the type of organ transplanted seemed to play less of a role than previously thought. Heart transplant recipients — often the focus of similar studies due to historical anecdotes linking heart transplants with profound personality shifts — reported generally similar changes to those receiving other organs.
