Saru 8,457 #1 Posted July 2, 2013 A prominent neurosurgeon believes that transplanting a human head is now actually a viable procedure. Dr Sergio Canavero believes that the technology now exists that will allow surgeons to carry out the Frankenstein-style procedure, which has been tested out on animals since 1970. Read more... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seeder 31,266 #2 Posted July 2, 2013 Weird and freaky, but even if eventually possible, I wonder if the brain wont naturally deteriorate anyway, like eyesight does once you're over 40...a lot of old people have serious memory issues, dementia etc, perhaps the brain, irrespective of what body it runs, only has so long to work too? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mindscanner 15 #3 Posted July 2, 2013 I want my new young head please but keep my brain though! and how much? lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
libstaK 6,401 #4 Posted July 2, 2013 Oh goodie so I can try out a new head? Oh wait ... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
232 54 #5 Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Doesn't really touch upon things such as the donor body rejecting the new head (or vice versa????). Also doesn't mention if the donor body must still be alive for this to work? Which would bring on another whole set of problems (laws, ethics, etc). And lastly, what about the psychological after effects of such a procedure on a human if such an operation were to work? Can't imagine this will ever go forward on humans. Nor should it IMO. No surprise he is having trouble getting funding. Edited July 2, 2013 by 232 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mfrmboy 121 #6 Posted July 2, 2013 How about all the poor animals this has been tried out on. I would think there is someone somewhere doing these type of experiments on humans. Imagine the horrible things that are being done. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
questionmark 11,371 #7 Posted July 2, 2013 Nice way to put the fact that we are talking about a body transplant... not really a head transplant. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
27vet 62 #8 Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Mind uploading is another interesting theory. Before your body dies, your mind is uploaded to a supercompeter. It is then installed in a new body grown from stem cells. But what if you install the same mind into two or more bodies? Edited July 2, 2013 by 27vet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grandpa Greenman 10,380 #9 Posted July 2, 2013 I could see some good coming out of fixing a damaged spinal cord, but putting a head on a body. I think I'll pass. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BiffSplitkins 4,539 #10 Posted July 2, 2013 This could cure the world's butterface epidemic. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doctor Night 22 #11 Posted July 2, 2013 I wonder how big the scar would be...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deslin 11 #12 Posted July 2, 2013 Hope too many don't lose their heads after reading this story.. Heads will roll if someone is allowed to legally try this.. ok I'm done lol Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pallidin 10,953 #13 Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Right. This is more of a "body transplant" than a head transplant. I think the term "head transplant" is often(and inappropriately) used just because the severed head is moved to the new body right next to it, as opposed to the new body being moved to the head. Also, since the "human identity" is presumed to reside wholly in the "head", by definition it's a body transplant I would think. However, there are those whom consider "Chakras" to be an integral part of the human, of which 4-5 of the 7 chakras are considered to be below the human head. Edited July 2, 2013 by pallidin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freetoroam 40,848 #14 Posted July 2, 2013 From link: Dr Sergio Canavero believes that the technology now exists that will allow surgeons to carry out the Frankenstein-style procedure, which has been tested out on animals since 1970. In 1970 Robert White successfully transplanted the head of a rhesus monkey onto the body of a second rhesus, and Dr Canavero, a member of the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group, has proposed using a similar method. Really? If this has been going on since the 70`s, why are we not discussing arrests being made instead? How many Frankenstein backstreet labs are there out there? Maybe police should have a look at some of these places, just to see if they can account for any of the thousands of "missing" persons on the books. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paperdyer 1,589 #15 Posted July 2, 2013 Doesn't really touch upon things such as the donor body rejecting the new head (or vice versa????). Also doesn't mention if the donor body must still be alive for this to work? Which would bring on another whole set of problems (laws, ethics, etc). And lastly, what about the psychological after effects of such a procedure on a human if such an operation were to work? Can't imagine this will ever go forward on humans. Nor should it IMO. No surprise he is having trouble getting funding. While I agree with the ethics dilemma. However, wouldn't this be a way to help completely paralyzed people? You could use death row inmates that have confessed or there is no doubt they were guilty and give the body a new use. In this case, wouldn't the DNA for reproductive purposes still be that of the donor? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
paperdyer 1,589 #16 Posted July 2, 2013 I wonder how big the scar would be...... Probably be a circle around the neck and down the back a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xanthurion2 223 #17 Posted July 2, 2013 Would this be for the benefit of the head or the body? And what happens to the other person? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StarMountainKid 9,494 #18 Posted July 2, 2013 (edited) Wouldn't the doner body have to be alive for the transplant to be successful? I suppose if someone were brain dead their body could be used. I once read a story where in some future society prisoners were used for body parts. Edited July 2, 2013 by StarMountainKid Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freetoroam 40,848 #19 Posted July 2, 2013 Can you imagine if the only compatible head for Sven`s body is from Mr NgMumbi? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trancelikestate 155 #20 Posted July 2, 2013 how long before its a hollywood fad to get a new body done Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bendy Demon 5,217 #21 Posted July 2, 2013 Aren't we forgetting something? What about the spinal cord? It's not like we have refined the process of reconnecting the nerves and all that. Sure, we may have transplanted the heads of monkeys but all that was done was to connect blood veins, not nerves so essentially the monkey was paralyzed (assuming the experiment was real to begin with). Each brain and its nerve mapping (my term) is unique to the body it has to control so even IF we were to reconnect the spinal cord and all the nerves, the brain would have to remap everything and basically reconfigure itself for a body with different "settings". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mikko-kun 1,026 #22 Posted July 2, 2013 Mind uploading is another interesting theory. Before your body dies, your mind is uploaded to a supercompeter. It is then installed in a new body grown from stem cells. But what if you install the same mind into two or more bodies? It's just data duplication, unless you attach your brain to a comp and sustain your brain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
F3SS 19,467 #23 Posted July 3, 2013 This is weird. I seen the monkey head transplant on Dark Matters and it was freaky, albeit a dramatization. There are certain things that just should be left alone and it is by all means a body transplant. Imagine what fears and pains that monkey was feeling. I think the only thing freakier than a human head transplant is the idea of the Human Centipede. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kobolds 91 #24 Posted July 3, 2013 (edited) "The greatest technical hurdle to such endeavour is of course the reconnection of the donor's and recipient's spinal cords," Both heads would have to be removed at the same time, and reconnected within an hour. bull**** u want to reconnect circulatory system, nerve system , trachea , etc... all these within an hour . and here he said the greatest technical hurdle reconnect spinnal cords ? someone lend him a glue an average heart transplant procedure take 4 to 12 hours or longer . Edited July 3, 2013 by kobolds Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Likely Guy 24,134 #25 Posted July 3, 2013 Wouldn't the doner body have to be alive for the transplant to be successful? I suppose if someone were brain dead their body could be used. I once read a story where in some future society prisoners were used for body parts. It's not a story, it's called 'China'. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organ_transplantation_in_the_People's_Republic_of_China Share this post Link to post Share on other sites