How long can the brain survive?

Question

If you took a human brain and put in a hypothetical jar giving it all the support it needs to eternity, how long until it would fail on its own?

A link to evidence/proof would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Here is the best I could find:

"Cryonicists justify preservation under such conditions by noting recent advances that allow brain resuscitation after longer periods of ischemia than the traditional 4 to 6 minute limit, and persistence of brain structure and even some brain cell function after long periods of clinical death. They argue that definitions of death change as technology advances, and the early stages of what is called “death” today is actually a form of ischemic injury that will be reversible in the future."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics

See also:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/episode5/

http://www.neurological.org.nz/html/brai...

http://www.oregoncryo.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/brain/history/in...

Answer 2

If you're thinking of the brains of celebrities: Nil.  Once a Personality has achieved the next Step: Celebrityhood, his/her already diminished brain is carefully extracted and turned into kitty litter. The Celebrity then goes about its business on Cruise control. This can last as long as three years, before the Celebrity goes on to the next Step: Plastic Surgey.

Answer 3

The human brain can only survive five minutes without oxygen.

Answer 4

If we had the technology to provide completely for the organ I suppose it would survive for many years after a normal human life span. It would free of disease, nor be subjected to harmful chemicals such as aspirin based drugs which eventually attack the middle layer of the meninges.

Gravity would eventually have an effect but if the brain were suspended in a viscous liquid the effects of gravity would be mollified.

Of course, I'm just guessing.

As for eternity, not even the building or the table upon which rests the container would last for eternity; mankind surely won't.

Answer 5

What makes you think it could survive a single second outside of the body?

Answer 6

It will last until something goes wrong with it!

Remember, the brain is just a bodily organ.

For example, it could still have a stroke/seizure, or a brain anneurism, and hemmorage to death...

Without oxygen (Once the heart stops pumping fresh blood into it), doctors say, that the brain can live for only 5 minutes!