X-Message-Number: 28686
Date: Sat, 25 Nov 2006 15:06:25 -0500 (EST)
From: Charles Platt <>
Subject: Dying Cells
References: <>

> Message #28683
> From: "JOSEPH W MORGAN" <>
> Subject: Brain Cell Death due to Oxygen Deprivation
> Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2006 08:36:38 -0700
>
> Yesterday I was discussing cryonics with a skeptic.  He
> pointed out that brain cells are extremely sensitive to
> oxygen deprivation. Some brain cells actually start dying
> just under five minutes after their oxygen supply is cut.
> As a result, oxygen deprivation can cause severe brain
> damage rapidly.  He asserted that minutes after death the
> brain is irreparably damaged and therefore cryonics cannot
> work.

Please mention to your friend that hospital patients have
been revived successfully after hypothermic surgery in which
cardiac arrest may last as long as one hour. You can search
for this topic on the Alcor web site, which also contains
many other references to cell death, a topic that is
naturally of great interest to cryonicists.

You may also consider the difference between biochemical
damage to cells, and structural damage to the brain. If the
structure is still there, is the person still "there"? This
leads directly to the criterion of "information theoretic
death," a topic that is dear to the heart of Ralph Merkle
among many others. You can search for him online too.

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=28686