X-Message-Number: 32302 References: <> Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2010 09:49:23 -0600 Subject: Futility of cryopreservation or chemical fixation? From: Freeposity <> Date: Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:37:34 -0500 From: I read here of purported quantum level of activity within brain synapses, and fail to see how either cryopreservation or chemical fixation can preserve that. I even fail to see how the electrical activity in the brain could be preserved by either freezing it after it has ceased such activity, or taking a snapshot of it similarly afterwards. I may be mistaken but in the back of my head is something about such ongoing electrical activity being what preserves "memories" and such, as long as they exist. So I wonder what is the point. Would professing a belief in "God" be indicated here? LOL ________________________________________________________________ Memories and thought processes are stored not in electrical activity but by the structure of the brain itself. Many people have been "dead" by hypothermia and survived to tell about it. It has been proven time and again that all electrical activity in the brain can stop and as long as there's no permanent damage to the cellular structures of the brain you can revive the person. About a decade ago there was a woman who was found to have a previously inoperable brain aneurysm. Cutting into or near it would cause it to rupture and it was likely to rupture on its own. Her doctors came up with a plan to induce hypothermia and drain her of blood in order to operate on her brain. She was clinically dead for hours during the operation. No electrical activity, no heartbeat, nothing. She survived the surgery and had no ill effects from it. I hope this helps. Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=32302