An article on MSNBC suggests that the brain may live on after being decapitated for a period of time. A study done at Raboud University Nijmegan in the Netherlands explored the ethics of killing lab rats through decapitation. The EEG ( a measure of electrical brain activity), ended 17 seconds after decapitation. About a minute after, a large wave went through the brain. Dubbed the "wave of death", the researchers thought this was the final blow. Neurologist Michel van Putten and his colleagues at the University of Twente have suggested that the brain cells could be revived if fed oxygen and glucose. Granted, this is not a "living" brain, but is a very interesting fact about brain cells.
This article was interesting because of the strange nature of the study. Decapitation is a gruesome way to obtain information about brain activity, but nonetheless has given some interesting data on brain cells. This type of research could be very useful if it further gives information on the revival of brain cells. The medical field especially could benefit.
Photo: http://www.binauralbeatsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Brain-Waves.jpg
This is interesting, this can also help especially in cases where stem cell are needed.
ReplyDeletePatricia R.
Its amazing how the brain works. Maybe this could help scientists better understand how brain cells die and find interesting methods to combat dimentia.
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