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Researchers have developed a mechanism that can sustain the activity of a brain separately from the body.
Scientists at UT Southwestern Medical Center in the United States successfully isolated the blood supply to the brain of a pig that was under the effects of ketamine. They achieved this by using a computerized algorithm to regulate the blood pressure, volume, temperature, and nutrients needed by the brain.
The neurologists’ team stated that brain activity remained relatively stable for a five-hour duration, even without any biological stimuli from the body.
According to the scientists, the success of the experiment may offer new methods for studying the human brain without interference from bodily functions. Additionally, this technology could potentially pave the way for brain transplants in the future.
Juan Pascual, a professor at UT Southwestern’s Eugene McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, stated that this innovative approach allows for brain-focused research without interference from the body, providing answers to physiological inquiries in a unprecedented manner.
The EPCC, a unique system, has been utilized to study the impact of hypoglycemia on the brain without interference from external variables.
Studies on hypoglycemia often involve limiting the nourishment of laboratory animals or administering insulin to them, but animals have their own innate ways of adjusting their metabolism to counteract these influences.
By isolating the brain, the researchers were able to examine the effects of nutrient intake without interference from the body’s natural defense mechanisms.
The study, titled ‘Maintenance of pig brain function under extracorporeal pulsatile circulatory control (EPCC)’, was published in the journal Scientific Reports and provided in-depth research.
According to the recent publication, the researchers determined that our techniques were successful in maintaining the preservation of brain function throughout each individual’s study under EPCC.
“This system resulted in near-normal levels of cerebral physiological measurements, including intracranial pressure, tissue oxygen saturation, and temperature, with the exception of increased brain tissue oxygenation and mild changes in intracranial pressure during craniotomy.”
The source for this information is the Independent, a UK-based news platform.
