Researchers Successfully Resuscitate Pig Brains an Hour Post-Mortem Utilizing Innovative Technique
Researchers in China have managed an astonishing feat akin to Victor Frankenstein's achievement: rejuvenating pig brains for up to 50 minutes post a total cessation of blood circulation. This grisly achievement might pave the way for future advances in maintaining the overall health and longevity of the human brain, even as the individual is resuscitated.
At present, medical professionals can often revive individuals who have suffered a heart attack (also referred to as cardiac arrest), but after merely a few minutes without blood flow, essential organs, such as the brain, sustain irreparable damage. Consequently, doctors have a limited time frame to revive the patient without them experiencing, at the very least, severe neurological repercussions. In this recent study, published last month in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, scientists aimed to expand this restoration window.
Previous research hinted at the liver's significant impact on the body's overall performance during cardiac arrest. Individuals with underlying liver disease exhibit a higher probability of experiencing fatal consequences due to cardiac arrest. Therefore, this study's researchers, mainly from Sun Yat-Sen University, investigated whether maintaining the functional viability of Tibetan mini pig livers could accelerate their brains' resilience to revival.
All pigs had their blood supply to the brain cut off, but some were connected to a life support system that sustained their liver's blood circulation. Researchers subsequently attempted to revive the brains of these pigs following a specific duration, utilizing the same life support system. Post-revival, the pigs were euthanized and compared to a control group whose blood flow was left unaltered.
The researchers discovered that the brains of the pigs with blood flow to both organs interrupted experienced significantly more damage in the revival stage. However, the brains of the pigs whose livers were maintained showed fewer signs of injury and a restoration of electrical activity lasting up to six hours. The researchers also successfully reactivated the brains of these pigs for up to 50 minutes after cessation of blood supply to the brain.
“Our study emphasizes the central role of the liver in the causation of post-cardiac arrest brain injury,” the researchers concluded.
While this finding does not suggest that scientists can now miraculously restore anyone following cardiac arrest with just a boost to their liver function, it certainly opens up a promising avenue for future research. There are several bodily deteriorations that take place shortly after a cardiac arrest, not just in the brain and liver. Moreover, further studies are required to confirm the team's assertions about the liver's crucial role in restored brain function. Nonetheless, if this research continues to yield significant advancements, it may lead to practical interventions that boost the prospects of successful reanimation in individuals.
“The findings derived from the current and subsequent studies have the potential to boost survival rates and enhance results for patients undergoing cardiac arrest,” the researchers stated.
In the future, this research on maintaining liver function during cardiac arrest could potentially lead to significant advancements in preserving brain health and longevity, as demonstrated by the rejuvenated pig brains. Furthermore, the integration of science, technology, and medical progress might revolutionize the field of resuscitation and extend the restoration window for human patients.
