Hours After Pigs' Death, Scientists Restore Brain Cell Activity | Live Science - 0 views
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In a radical experiment that has some experts questioning what it means to be "alive," scientists have restored brain circulation and some cell activity in pigs' brains hours after the animals died
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Still, the researchers stressed that they did not observe any kind of activity in the pigs' brains that would be needed for normal brain function or things like awareness or consciousness.
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During this time, the BrainEx system not only preserved brain cell structure and reduced cell death, but also restored some cellular activity.
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For example, although scientists are a long way from being able to restore brain function in people with severe brain injuries, if some restoration of brain activity is possible, "then we would have to change our definition of brain death," Singhal told Live Science.
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The work also could stimulate research on ways to promote brain recovery after loss of blood flow to the brain, such as during a heart attack.