A few years ago, a family friend collapsed all of a sudden on his way to work and went inactive from there. He was rushed to the nearest hospital, placed on a life-supporting machine, and after a couple of tests, was pronounced brain dead.
What does it mean to be brain dead? The truth is that was the first time I will be hearing the words. Further inquiry reveals that being brain-dead means that all the functions associated with the brain are lost, even though the man himself was still alive. In order words, he is as good as dead but still being kept alive by the life-support machine.
At this point, I got to know that other vital organs in his body are being kept alive by the lie support machine. He was later disconnected from the machine and confirmed totally dead after a few hours.
What could have been
The feeling associated with helplessness is a terrible one, especially when a life is involved. When I heard the news, the first question I asked is "what is the way forward?". I was thinking there would definitely be a solution, just that it might gulp a lot of money. Unfortunately, I was told there is no known solution for being brain dead. At best, other vital organs in the body of the brain dead can become useful for those that are awaiting organ transplants.
The last statement got me thinking since it is only the brain that is affected, what if a new head with a functional brain is used to replace the head with the dead brain. In other words, what if a head transplant is carried out? This thought is backed by the fact that there are several patients that are terminally ill but with fully functional brains in their heads and may be open to donating their organs, head inclusive, to save the lives of others. Instead of harvesting the vital organs from a brain-dead person, we can as well put a new head for the brain-dead to come alive again. But what are the chances of this becoming a reality?
We live in an era of advanced technology where virtually every thinkable phenomenon can become a reality. If the heart of a pig can successfully be modified and transplanted into a man, then one would think that transplanting one human head to the neck of another human should be at the same difficulty level, if not easier.
However, there are no known attempts or cases of human head transplants even though successful transplants of that of mice, dogs, and monkeys have been reported. However, it is not that the possibility has not been looked into by scientists. One major thing that has been holding back the attempt is the ethical concerns it will raise.
There are a couple of ethical concerns that have been raised beyond the fundamental principle of the subject itself but the most prominent among them has to do with identity conflict. We all know how important the head is when it comes to forming identities.
Imagine slipping into a deep sleep only to wake up and see a total stranger in the mirror because your head was shaved off while asleep? The identity horror that this will create is enough a problem, let alone a head with a strange body or, shall I say, a body with a strange head. The psychological trauma it will create might not be fathomable.
Also, if the head of a brain-dead person is removed and the head of someone with a terminal illness is transplanted in its place, there arises an issue of who is the donor and who is the recipient. is the head donated to the body or the body is donated to the head? Who goes home with the patient of a successful head transplant - the family of a head donor or that of a body donor?
Although the last problem highlighted seems to have been fixed with the topmost role that the head plays in the identity of persons. The head is generally considered to be the symbol of identity. Hence, in cases of head transplant, the body is considered as the one being donated while the head is seen as the recipient. In order words, the family of the owner of the head gets to go home with the patient in case of a successful head transplant. Of course, this appears easy on paper than in reality.
Apart from the ethical concerns, of course, more research needs to be made before the first human head transplant would be attempted. In conclusion, humanity might still have quite a way to go before head transplants, or should I say body transplants can become a thing.
What do you think?
Resources
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6511668/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6174037/
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-china-full-head-transplant-rats-human-sergio-canavero-cns-neuroscience-therapeutics-a7711871.html
- https://crueltyfreeinternational.org/latest-news-and-updates/over-1000-mice-used-grisly-head-transplant-experiments-monkeys-are-next
Funny proof-of-brain hashtag!
I suspect we might be moving brains into robot bodies before we move them into flesh-and-blood ones.
I can't even read this. It's just too creepy for me tonight. I'm sure it's well written. All your articles are well written. But, hmmmm I don't think so.
Hope your son is well @gentleshaid
Really wierd scenarios, there is a possibility of having a crazy patient by the time he looks into the mirror and he sees someone different, the societal response to a case like this may even make the individual go crazy as well.
However, I believe that science always has a way to make things balanced and lives will be saved at the end of the day. (For now, I can only imagine the wierd possibilities)
Do they really need to transplant the whole head? if it is brain that is dead, a section of the head which comprise of the brain should be removed and transplant to other head, in that case, both the former and later head will maintain the real identity of the bodies. I hope it is as easy as that
This is a weird option, a bit borderline with scifi. I actually have seen several (generally not so good) movies, when I was younger, in which he consciousness of a person was transplanted into a recipient body. This is not very different from head transplants.
Let's imagine this could happen. Then the major problem is ethical, as you have clearly pointed out. Here, I would be more rational: when our time has come, our time has come.
Many people actually don't want to agree that everyone has got an expiry date. Some are busy trying to crack the code of immortality. It is still science, right?
I actually wish constant updates would be available about the man with a pig's heart. Would be interesting to see as events unfold. While it is a major breakthrough for science, it is borderline crazy to me for a human to be walking around with the heart of a pig.
Sure. This was just my personal opinion, for what it is worth.
In fact, this one passed away yesterday, according to French newspapers (yes I still read those, although online). I cannot look for the real source of the news, as I am supposed to start lecturing in 5 minutes. I leave this to you ;)
Funny enough, I searched for the latest news about the man while writing this post. The news must have broken out after that. Here it is https://www.cbsnews.com/news/david-bennett-dies-pig-heart-transplant-recipient-dead-2-months-after-operation/
Indeed, this was probably a matter of minutes ;)
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I think that it will create more problems than it will solve. You already pointed out some of these problem about ethics in your blog but I assure you more will surface once the technology is adopted.
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