The scientific community recently witnessed a groundbreaking experiment that breathed life into the debate about the permanence of brain damage following death. Scientists have managed to restore some cell activity and brain circulation in pigs’ brains hours after their demise. Although these experiments were conducted on pigs, their outcomes question the well-established belief that brain cells suffer irreversible and abrupt damage post-death. The study also challenged the understanding that the brain is unable to function for a long duration without blood supply.
Working Mechanism of the BrainEx System
The research employed an ingenious system called BrainEx for examining postmortem brains in entirety. This system comprises a network of pumps that infuse a synthetic substitute for blood into the brain’s arteries at body temperature. The pig brains received this treatment four hours after death in the BrainEx system and were allowed to perfuse with this synthetic substitute for six hours.
During this stage, the BrainEx system not only preserved the structure of brain cells and minimized cell death but also revived certain cellular processes. Some metabolically active cells consumed glucose and oxygen and discharged carbon dioxide. Simultaneously, other cells displayed an inflammatory response when provoked by specific molecules. However, unattended brains without BrainEx disintegrated rapidly.
Ethical Considerations
Reviving brain function in individuals suffering severe brain injuries remains a distant reality. Yet, if reinstating some brain activity is feasible, it would necessitate redefining brain death. The study accentuates ethical issues that demand more guidelines since it alters longstanding convictions about what qualifies as life in animals and humans. One distressing worry is determining consciousness and determining the permissible time limit for running systems like BrainEx.
Research Potential
| Research Area | Potential |
|---|---|
| Understanding brain diseases | High |
| Effects of brain injury | High |
| Studying complex cell and circuit connections | High |
| Promote brain recovery after loss of blood flow | Medium |
The Path Ahead
This initiative paves the way for a fresh perspective on studying the brain, facilitating an unprecedented overview of the entire intact brain. This approach could provide key insights into better comprehending brain diseases or the impact of brain injuries. The investigators emphasized that they did not detect any type of activity in the pig brains necessary for standard brain functionality or elements like awareness or consciousness.
However, as the BrainEx study lasted for only six hours, more research is needed to ascertain whether BrainEx can conserve brains longer than this duration. Several queries remain unresolved regarding the similarity of this model to the natural brain environment. For instance, the system doesn’t use real blood and the brain is devoid of the fluid that surrounds it within the skull. The introduction of this technology creates opportunities to investigate intricate cell and circuit connections and functions which are otherwise lost when specimens are preserved differently. The study may also spur research on techniques to enhance brain recovery following a cessation of blood flow to the brain, such as during a heart attack.