Will we someday preserve our thoughts, emotions, and perceptions?
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Recent breakthroughs in brain preservation methods have enabled an entire mammalian brain to be successfully stored. This innovative technique will soon be accessible to terminally ill patients, aimed at gathering essential neural data to one day reconstruct the essence of the individual.
According to Boris Lobel of Nectome, a San Francisco-based company pioneering memory preservation, patients will need to donate their brains and bodies for scientific research. “Our vision is to preserve their bodies and brains indefinitely, with the hope that one day we can decode the information stored in their brains,” he stated.
Timing is critical for preserving the delicate structure of the brain; just minutes without blood flow can lead to irreversible damage as enzymes destroy neurons and cells begin self-digestion.
Typically, cryonics aims to preserve bodies at subzero temperatures post-mortem, allowing for the possibility of revival if future treatments are developed. However, rapid action is essential, as brain deterioration begins almost immediately following natural death.
To mitigate these challenges, Lobel and his team have created a physician-assisted protocol that allows terminally ill individuals to choose the timing of their passing. This ensures immediate intervention, enhancing the likelihood of maintaining the brain’s condition close to its living state.
Lobel’s team performed tests using pigs, which possess brain and cardiovascular systems similar to humans. The procedure involved inserting a cannula into the heart shortly after cardiac arrest, flushing out blood, and introducing a preservation solution. This concoction contains aldehyde chemicals that create molecular connections, effectively locking cellular activity.
A cryoprotectant is later introduced to replace water within the tissue, preventing ice crystal formation that could harm cells upon cooling. The treated brains are then cooled to approximately -32°C, allowing cryoprotectants to achieve a glass-like state for indefinite preservation.
To evaluate the technique’s success, researchers analyzed samples from the brain’s outer layer under a microscope. Initial trials commencing 18 minutes post-mortem indicated significant cellular damage, but when the delay was shortened to under 14 minutes, the tissue displayed excellent preservation of neurons and synapses.
Theoretically, Lobel suggested this protocol could aid in “reconstructing the three-dimensional map of neural connections,” referred to as the connectome, potentially illuminating how the brain generates thoughts, emotions, and cognitive functions. So far, scientists have achieved the mapping of only a fraction of the mouse brain, which took seven years to complete, as documented in this study.
Despite advancements in cryonics and computational technology, true “resuscitation” remains unfeasible. “Our method is akin to embalming, preserving the brain’s structural integrity without restoring biological viability,” explains João Pedro de Magalhães from the University of Birmingham. He further asserts that even a perfect mental replica would exist as a distinct entity.
Nonetheless, Lobel’s team is hopeful about the future, positing that human consciousness could eventually be recreated digitally or biologically. “We are open to various resurrection strategies, as we believe we can preserve all necessary information for this,” Wróbel asserts.
Nectome plans to invite terminally ill patients to Oregon, allowing them to spend time with family before undergoing the new preservation protocols. “They receive medications prescribed by an independent physician before we initiate the surgery,” Lobel notes.
This groundbreaking research brings forth profound philosophical inquiries regarding our understanding of death. “Declaring death based solely on the absence of blood circulation oversimplifies the complexities involved,” remarks Brian Wok, from 21st Century Medicine. “The ability to preserve the brain’s intricate structure and molecular makeup after circulation ceases raises essential questions about the nature of life and death.”
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Source: www.newscientist.com
