head transplant
- Thread starter Enigma'07
- Start date
Perhaps in the far future when techniques are found to replace the severed nerve endings in the spinal coloum. Mucle and tendon tissue can be repaired but them nerves are very very tricky to untangle and put back in the proper sequences. there are millions of nerves so imagine trying to figure where they all attach to!
TaoDervish
Registered Member
I think body swapping would be all the rage.
ya and you forgot the problem of immune rejection.
But it might reject a whole head...
Only imagine, having a new body, how would that actually feel? A body you are not accustomed to, a body with which you did not grow up. It must be hard to get used to it, to use it efficiently in a short time is probably impossible.
Only imagine, having a new body, how would that actually feel? A body you are not accustomed to, a body with which you did not grow up. It must be hard to get used to it, to use it efficiently in a short time is probably impossible.
We're not talking brains being rejected. We're talking about the whole head. 
But, I don't know about this brain being rejected issue. Why wouldn't it be subject to the same rules as the rest of the body?
I am vaguely recalling an experiment with a monkey... What was it? Was it the monkey head being kept alive without a body? Was it the monkey head transplanted onto another monkey body? Hmm. Don't remember for sure.
Anyway, as to the original question. The interesting thing would be how much a new body would affect our brain. How much it would change us and our interpretation of the world. How much of us resides in our brain? How much resides in our bodies? These are questions with no satisfactory answers. Certainly, quadriplegics don't become completely different people (other than the obvious depression and other psychological side effects) but, they are lacking a body. Not getting input from a new one. Lots to learn before anything can be said for sure on this subject.
But, I don't know about this brain being rejected issue. Why wouldn't it be subject to the same rules as the rest of the body?
I am vaguely recalling an experiment with a monkey... What was it? Was it the monkey head being kept alive without a body? Was it the monkey head transplanted onto another monkey body? Hmm. Don't remember for sure.
Anyway, as to the original question. The interesting thing would be how much a new body would affect our brain. How much it would change us and our interpretation of the world. How much of us resides in our brain? How much resides in our bodies? These are questions with no satisfactory answers. Certainly, quadriplegics don't become completely different people (other than the obvious depression and other psychological side effects) but, they are lacking a body. Not getting input from a new one. Lots to learn before anything can be said for sure on this subject.
You know, if you have lost your head, I think you should just call it quits, I mean, is there a real need for this? Those monkey experiments sound horrific. What might be interesting is getting half of another person's brain, then you could actually experience the thoughts of another person.
I think that the exchange of half a brain would be somewhat strange, I suppose it might well drive you mad if there is a part of a concsious yet alien brain in your skull.
But when my head leaves my body I do expect to die, some people may like to do this, I would rather die.
But when my head leaves my body I do expect to die, some people may like to do this, I would rather die.
Heh, especially if two left hemispheres were brought together. A new right would undoubtably have consequences in your actions and abilities. But, it would mostly be unconscious. But, if another left hemisphere were added. I bet you'd tear yourself apart.
And, the monkey thing was horrific. The picture (might have even been video) was horrible. The monkey didn't look a bit happy. And, it was paralyzed. It was alive but that's it. It could bite and spit and blink but it's body was gone.
But, from such experiments, Christopher Reeve may some day play Superman again. Science can be awful stuff sometimes. It's the objectivity of the whole thing that gets you.
And, the monkey thing was horrific. The picture (might have even been video) was horrible. The monkey didn't look a bit happy. And, it was paralyzed. It was alive but that's it. It could bite and spit and blink but it's body was gone.
But, from such experiments, Christopher Reeve may some day play Superman again. Science can be awful stuff sometimes. It's the objectivity of the whole thing that gets you.
No, immune rejection was a problem, head transplants have been done on monkeys and they could only stay alive for a few days or so. Immune suppressor could be used to reduce the chance or rate of this problem, and then all that is needed is nerve regeneration, which has been done with some success on rats by using stem cells to growing nerve tissue from them on a biodegradable wick placed in the severed spin.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1263758.stm
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/20/1728_52645
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1263758.stm
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/20/1728_52645
if you don't think its the brain, despite a huge amount of evidence that it is, then psuedoscience is for you.
bondartling
Registered Member
Enigma'07 said:
I have read that also but I think that what is gettting rejected is the tissue and the small amount of marrow left in the bone.
bondartling
Registered Member
The head was being keeped alive by the blood supply from the body, but becuse the body no longer had a "brain" the body was supplied by pumps.
invert_nexus said:
Well, that kind of makes sense for a couple of reasons.
1) There is no lymphatic drainage from the brain. The lymphatic system helps filter antigens from the tissues and presents them to immune cells; without that it's difficult to mount an immune response against antigens present only in the brain.
2) There is the existence of the blood-brain barrier. That's pretty tight; it only lets small molecules and things with their own special transporters pass through. I think that outside antibodies can enter the brain tissue (antibodies are fairly small, and I know there are syndromes like MS and SSPE that involve antibody-mediated attack on brain tissues); but probably there is no cellular immunity, so brain antigens can't activate roaming immune cells.
Yeah, this is fascinating. I read an amazing case study of a split-brain patient who was literally at war with herself: her right hand would start to do a task and her left hand would hold it down and prevent it from moving. Apparently the poor woman was driven to distraction by her warring hemispheres.
This is something that fascinates me about Siamese twins who share brain tissue. Like those kids who were separated a few months back. What exactly is going on in a brain like that? Did they share any/some/many/all of their subjective experiences??
(btw, does anyone know how they're doing?)
What if I died, and medical science decided they needed to use my brain to save a gunshot victim, and when I regain consiousness, I'm sharing half my mind with an African American from the ghetto?
Wouldn't that be a crazy/hilarious movie that harps on the "me white, you black, look we're different" movie, and at the end I can be cool and rocking out to rap?
(in the head of course)
Wouldn't that be a crazy/hilarious movie that harps on the "me white, you black, look we're different" movie, and at the end I can be cool and rocking out to rap?
(in the head of course)