Do you think it is possible for a person getting an organ transplant to take on traits of the doner?

Question

Why do you think this happens?

Answer 1

Complete, absolute fantasy.  Not gonna happen.  You might attribute things you see in the recipient to the donor, but that doesn't make it so.

The one thing that a kidney donor might get from the recipient is NORMAL RENAL FUNCTION, but that would be it.

Sort of like horoscopes.  You read into them what applies to you.

Answer 2

I disagree with the first answer. The only way that I can see the donor's traits ending up in the recipient is if the endocrine system is altered. The adrenal glands sit on the kidney and it has a large effect on mood and behavior. If the adrenal gland is replaced with the kidney (I don't know if this happens or not) then some of the donor's personality may show up in the recipient. Other traits can be affected by the adrenal gland as well such as height, weight, hormonal conditions (ex. high blood pressure, cholesterol). However the list is short because most traits are determined during fetal development and will not change (ex. eye color.) This is a very interesting question, well done.

Answer 3

I like this question.  I don't know if I could give an accurate answer though.  I got my new kidney from my mom, so we already have some of the same traits.  But, after the transplant, there are things I like to eat now that I hated before the transplant.  Now, I love Chinese food and am alright with eating onions and cheetos, (which are all things my mom likes to eat) even though I hated them before the transplant.  Some may say it's all in my head or some coincidence, but I disagree.

Answer 4

Some biological traits can be seen in recipients of bone marrow transplants.

But, personality does not live in the kidneys. :)

Answer 5

It doesn't happen, sorry.