First BISA swap inquiry challenges previous notions

In the preliminary draft of his first BISA-sponsored inquiry into swapping, Dr. Howard Bergman makes some startling assertions that are giving clarity for the first time to the phenomenon.

"Our original understanding was that some force, what we're calling Factor-X for now, has physically been removing the entire contents of swapees' brains and replacing them," explains Bergman, head of Psychology for the American BISA in Bethesda, MD. "we're already seeing it's much more complicated than that."

"There were irregularities in swapee CAT scans that were unaccounted for," he explains. "The same pattern emerged with each of them on their first scan, but we've been continually scanning a few subjects and found very distinct developments."

Notes Dr. Arthur Gulf, a colleague at BISA, "The pattern developments were mirrored between swapees... there is a definite link, which could be extremely useful if we ever discover how to reverse the process."

Bergman was first pointed in this direction by a swap occurring between an American who suffered from mild Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and a Japanese businessman.

The American, Derek Schultz, was swapped all the way across the Pacific Ocean. "It was more like a dream than anything else, I was surrounded by all these Japanese guys in suits and I had a drink in my hand. I don't drink, but I had some anyway." He explains the most confusing part to researchers. "I completely understood everything everyone around me was saying. I speak Japanese now."

What this appears to mean to Dr. Bergman, is that swaps may not in fact be as black-and-white as a new brain in an old body. "There are some things we can anticipate, sensory reactions and injuries that stay with the body despite their apparent connection with the brain. This appears to have been an incomplete swap, which suggests that more of the original body's mind is retained than previously thought."

What this would mean to swapees is that their identity isn't removed, only buried beneath a new set of memories and personality.

"Potentially, in the long-term," theorizes Bergman, "The old personality could re-assert itself. We're learning new things about this all the time."

Brian Keller, a 16-year-old Vancouver boy who was swapped with a single mother of one earlier this year, disagrees. She emphatically denies any of her body's previous memory remains in her.

"I don't see what they're getting at," she explains, "I know who I am, and I don't see this changing that."

Bergman explains that this theory will be proven or disproven as the months wear onward and more is learned about the swaps.

As Bergman, Gulf, and their colleagues at BISA continue their research new leads present themselves all the time, as do new questions.

"There's always the one big question," says Gulf, "Of what, exactly, is responsible. Until we know that, I doubt we can ever truly call our work done."