5 things you're dying to ask about head transplants

Read about the proposed head transplant surgery? Here are answers to questions on the tip of your tongue. And no, we can't defrost all the cryogenic heads

Read more: Click here to read a longer version of this story

What's the difference between brain and head transplants?
A brain transplant would involve removing the brain from the skull and placing it in a donor skull. It is more difficult than a head transplant because of the complex surgery to separate the brain and blood supply without damaging delicate tissue.

Could the transplant technique work for a cryogenically frozen head?
No. The proposed technique requires a healthy human head and brain. It is not yet known whether it is possible to "defrost" a cryogenically frozen head and resurrect healthy brain tissue.

Would the surgery be psychologically damaging?
Some people who have received face or limb transplants mourn the loss of their old body part or feel that their self image is conflicted. Studies show that inputs from our body, such as a heartbeat or rumbling stomach, can influence our will power, emotions and language. Who knows whether the person who comes out of the operating room would be the same as the one who went in.

Would there be any benefits apart from getting a healthier body?
If the recipient head is older than the donor body, they may get a rejuvenating boost. Infusions of young blood can raise physical endurance and cognitive function in older animals. A study is now seeing if young blood has the same effect on people with Alzheimer's.

I'm a registered organ donor. Could my body be used for this?
Each country has its own rules. In the UK, joining the register would not automatically allow your body to be used. "If a person needs something not specified on our forms, we would ask a potential donor's family to consent," says an NHS spokesperson. "We would only approach a family if the planned procedure had ethical approval."

Read more: "First human head transplant could happen in two years"

Leader: "Body swaps sound like fantasy, but pose real questions"

This article appeared in print under the headline "The big questions"

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

post from sitemap