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Banjo Used In Brain Surgery

Posted by kdawson on from the not-that-way-silly dept.

Ponca City, We love you writes "Legendary bluegrass musician Eddie Adcock has undergone brain surgery to treat a hand tremor, playing his banjo throughout to test the success of the procedure. Adcock suffers from essential tremor, a condition where there is a continuing deterioration in areas of the brain that control movement, causing a tremor that usually appears when the person tries to act or move. Deep brain stimulation can be used to treat the movement difficulties of both Parkinson's and essential tremor by sinking an electrode into the thalamus, a deep brain area that is part of the motor loop — a circuit that helps coordinate movement. Surgeons placed electrodes in Adcock's brain and fitted a pacemaker in his chest, which delivers a small current that shuts down the region of his brain causing the tremors. The most sensible thing to do was to tweak the system while Adcock was playing the banjo to optimize the effect for the thing that's most important to him."

15 of 164 comments (clear)

  1. Just needed a PA on the guitar... by Zymergy · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...for this:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyKvD-4IxOY
    (Now imagine the brain surgeon trying to work with that going on...)

  2. Music appreciation? by houstonbofh · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was told that to really appreciate music, you have to get inside the head of the musician. This wins...

  3. Re:Tag? by Kid+Zero · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, they're that immature.

  4. I guess... by Box+Checker · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...this means when i have the surgery i will be enjoying some self loving, in the form of hand pleasure. "The most sensible thing to do was to tweak the system while Adcock was playing the banjo to optimize the effect for the thing that's most important to him.""

    1. Re:I guess... by stormguard2099 · · Score: 5, Funny

      where's the -1 too informative mod?

      --
      http://greenobyl.com/ please.... think of the children!!
  5. Re:I heard this on the stupid radio yesterday by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sure thing. Here's your money back, asswipe.

  6. Oblig Banjo Jokes by ShakaUVM · · Score: 5, Funny

    Q: What's the difference between a banjo and a trampoline?
    A: People take off their shoes before jumping on a trampoline.

    Q: Ever hear someone say, "Hey, there's that mansion where that famous banjo player lives?"
    A: No, and you never will

    1. Re:Oblig Banjo Jokes by rk · · Score: 5, Funny

      I once took my banjo with me to the bad part of town. I ran into a store for just a minute to buy a soda, leaving the banjo in the car. Wouldn't you know it? When I came back someone smashed my window had put another banjo right next to it.

    2. Re:Oblig Banjo Jokes by Mex · · Score: 4, Funny

      A banjo player wins the lottery. The newspaper asks: "What will you do now that you are a rich man?"

      The banjo player replies: "Well, I guess I'll keep on gigging until the money runs out..."

    3. Re:Oblig Banjo Jokes by rubycodez · · Score: 5, Funny

      Guy walks into a bar with an octopus, tells the bartender, "hey, hire me, my talking octopus will bring in customers!". Bartender says, "big deal, talking animals, we've had talking horses, dogs, fish, birds...get out of here with your stupid octopus." Guy says, "but wait, my octopus can play any instrument like a virtuoso". Bar tender points to piano, says "let's see him do something on the keyboard." Octopus goes over to piano, starts playing with eight arms, sounds like four concert pianists jamming. Bar tender yells over to live band, to bring over a guitar. Octopus plays incredible music, sounds like three guitar masters playing. Bartender says, give him a trumpet, octopus plays jazz with blinding fury over six octave range. Scotsman over in the corner says "'old on just a minute, let's us see 'im do somethin' wi' me bagpipes". Scotsman hands over his pipes to the octopus. Octopus coils and flops and grabs all over the bagpipes, nothing coming out but occasional off key honks and burps and toots. Bartender says "haha, look at him flounder, he doesn't know how to play those". Octopus looks up from his struggles and says "play it?, as soon as I figure out how to get its pajamas off, I'm gonna fuck it!"

    4. Re:Oblig Banjo Jokes by Big+Nothing · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Legendary Blue Grass musician Eddie Adcock has undergone brain surgery to treat a hand tremor, playing his banjo throughout to test the success of the procedure."

      Unfortunately, the procedure was a failure - he can still play the banjo...

      --
      SIG: TAKE OFF EVERY 'CAPTAIN'!!
  7. Slashdotting by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am currently trolling on slashdot to test the success of my brain surgery. So far everything is just fi ~2 ,'`~ s asb a77777777777

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  8. Re:Tag? by ROMRIX · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is the slashdot crowd really this immature?

    I just hope no one from Slashdot forum has to undergo such a procedure as Adcock did. They might allow you to play with your banjo in the operating room but with their hobbies tending towards masturbation and all... Well you get the idea..

    -*ZIP ZIP ZAP!*- "Giggidy Giggidy! Right there doc! Hold whatcha got!"

  9. What's Next.... by polyomninym · · Score: 5, Funny

    Dueling Brain-Stems??? Gotta love it! Anyone for "Devil Went Down to Thalamus"? Ok, I'll stop here.

  10. Well I guess... by R3PUBLIC0N · · Score: 5, Funny

    I guess in this case, the banjo tuned him.