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A Yale University study can restore some of the brain functions of a dead pig. Could the resurrection of human beings be the next for researchers? ( Colin Behrens | pixabay )
Scientists have managed to bring back some brain functions from a dead pig for several hours.
In a study published in the newspaper Nature, researchers at Yale University were able to restore the cellular and circulatory functions of the animal's brain four hours after his death. It has long been thought that these processes stop almost immediately after the blood flow and that oxygenation ceases in the body.
Restoring function in the brain of dead pigs
Professor Nenad Sestan, one of the authors of the study, noted that the mammalian brain can retain its ability to restore circulation and even certain cellular and molecular activities several hours after the body stopped working.
The researchers used an artificial perfusion system called brainEx pump the pig's brain with an experimental solution that essentially mimics the regular blood flow. This gave the organ the oxygen and nutrients needed to trigger some of its normal functions.
Despite this breakthrough, Sestan and his colleagues said they were not able to wake up consciousness in the dead pig, his brain producing no recognizable global electrical signal usually present in a normally functioning organ.
The goal of the experiment was never to create a horde of zombie pigs, nor even human zombies. The researchers hope this study will help physicians find new ways to preserve normal brain function in stroke patients. It can also be used to determine the effectiveness of new treatments for cell recovery after injury.
The National Institutes of Health, which primarily funded the research, said the findings could help advance the understanding and treatment of brain disorders. They could also lead to the development of a method of studying dead human brains.
Resuscitating the brain-dead through stem cell injections
The Yale University study has restored some functions to a dead brain, but it can hardly be considered a true rebirth of the dead. In fact, the researchers themselves did not aim at restoring consciousness.
They were fully aware of the potential implications for ethical standards such as would imply an experiment. However, some studies may actually want to cross this controversial threshold.
In 2017, Bioquark, a Philadelphia-based medical technology company, announced its goal of using stem cell research to reverse the effects of death. The experiment will involve injecting stem cells directly into the spinal cord to clinically dead brain patients. They will also receive injections of protein mixture, electrical nerve stimulation and laser therapies targeting their brains.
Society believes that it can bring the human brain back to life by allowing new neurons to grow and inspiring them to connect with each other.
The researchers were supposed to start trials for study in India in 2016, but the project has never been able to enroll participants. The project was reportedly stopped by regulatory authorities as it had not received proper authorization from the country's Comptroller General of Medicines.
The idea of Bioquark has aroused strong criticism from medical experts, with some saying it "borders on quackery". The doctors argued that the study had no scientific foundation and that it only gave families of patients with "a cruel false hope of healing".
Previous studies have shown that the injection of stem cells into the brain or spinal cord can produce positive results, especially in children with brain damage. There have also been trials where patients with ALS and cerebral palsy have received stem cell therapy.
A study also suggested that stem cell injections into the brain can help stroke patients regain some mobility.
Transfer brains to artificial bodies
If stem cell injections prove to be insufficient to restore the human body, it is also envisaged to transfer human brains to artificial bodies. That's exactly what the tech start-up Humai promises to provide to its members.
The company announced its intention to use artificial intelligence and nanotechnology to store large amounts of data on behavioral patterns, conversation styles, thought processes and other information related to their body functions.
The data will then be encoded into several sensor technologies, which the company will use to create an artificial body where the dead client's brain will be placed.
Humai plans to roll out its life-defying processes in 30 years.
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