Dallas: Scientists have created a device that can keep the brain alive and active without the body. Researchers at the U.S. Southwestern Medical Center in America successfully maintained the blood circulation of a brain separated from the body using ketamine in an experiment. With the help of a computerized algorithm, scientists were able to maintain blood pressure, volume, temperature, and other necessary elements in the brain. According to the team of neurologists, despite the lack of vital inputs from the rest of the body, the brain showed minimal changes in activity.
According to scientists, the success of the experiment could open new avenues for studying the human brain without the interference of other bodily functions, and could also pave the way for future brain transplants. Professor Juan Pascal of the neurology department said that this new method allows for research focusing solely on the isolated brain, providing answers to biological questions that were previously unattainable.
Separating the brain in this way also provides researchers with the opportunity to study the effects of depriving the brain of components of the body’s natural defense system. This research was published in the journal Scientific Reports.