[HPFGU-OTChatter] Cruciatus = nerve regeneration?

[zorb47]

Hi Zeph,

I'm not sure that Cruciatus *does* affect the nervous system by the normal pain circuits, actually.  If it's like Imperius in affecting the mind, it could be a completely psychoactive curse.  In other words, the pain's all in the victim's mind.  It's not completely unbelievable that such a strong effect could be produced, especially since we're dealing with a) magic and b) people who fully believe that it's going to hurt.

That said, if it's nerve damage, the insanity can be explained as a coping mechanism.  For example, post-very loud noise deafness is caused by the auditory system overcompensating, causing the ossicles (hammer, anvil, stirrup) to detach from each other in order not to break the membranes.  When they can't be reattached, the deafness is permanent.  Same thing happens with people in extremely traumatic situations.  Their very real amnesia for the event in question is a coping mechanism, so that the mind does not have to relive the experience over and over.

On to regeneration!  It *is* possible, but not to the extent you're suggesting.  If Cruciatus does work via electricity somehow, it's causing all of the neurons in the brain to fire quickly and repeatedly, which is more traumatic than anything else.  It requires a great deal of energy, too.  Plus, just stimulating the neurons wouldn't do much.  The brain hooks up because of experience in the world, over a long period of time.  If you somehow did manage to get the neuron to regrow a synapse, a chancy thing in itself, getting it to hook up *correctly* would be impossible, especially if we're talking about another Cruciatus application.

Zorb, the cognitive science major
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: zephyrjaid7 
  To: HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2003 3:58 AM
  Subject: [HPFGU-OTChatter] Cruciatus = nerve regeneration?


  I've been toying with an idea for a fanfic that involves extensive 
  medical magic, and I began to think about the limitations of magic. 
  More specifically, how magic could regenerate nerves to ultimately 
  reverse conditions like paralysis and blindness.  

  Cruciatus is the only spell we really know of that directly effects 
  the nervous system, by somehow causing pain. We know that 
  overexposure to the curse causes memory loss, probably because of the 
  constant exposure to stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline 
  (which kills nerve cells and causes memory loss). This suggests that 
  the spell tricks the mind and then subsequently causes other physical 
  reactions not associated with the spell itself, like inducing the 
  stress hormones. On the other hand, the spell could have real, 
  tangible effects on the nerves and could cause a vast array of 
  problems within the body and mind. What does canon evidence point to?
  (On a side note, I'm a little baffled by the 
  insanity - was this caused by psychiatric drugs or the torture 
  itself?) 

  Now, if the spellcaster were to use Cruciatus on a person with nerves 
  that were already damaged, what would happen? Is it possible to 
  regenerate the nerves by shocking the nerve cells into lining up and 
  reconnecting? Since the spell's sole purpose is to effectively cause 
  pain, would the spell 'fix' something to make the spell work or would 
  it fail(assuming the effects are tangible, but then how could they 
  NOT be?)? And where do the electrical impulses come in, assuming that 
  1) magic somehow consists of some kind of electricity and 2)the 
  Cruciatus Curse has a huge electrical charge considering that its 
  sole focus is on the nerves?  

  How could this work?

  If anybody has any ideas or input, please do speak up. :) I've always 
  been vaquely fascinated by the Unforgiveable Curses and I've always 
  wanted to write about them but couldn't put them into an interesting 
  context, so feel free to tell me if I'm crazy or give suggestions 
  (hint). 

  Thanks!
  Zeph, nearly in an insomnia-induced coma (so forgive the crazy 
  thoughts that probably don't make sense)  




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