Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Man volunteers for first expected head transplant

Jake · 04-10-2015, 04:45 PM

I don't see how that can possibly work. Basically all the surgeon can do is sow together the nerves and spinal cord, and hope the axons will regrow to where they are supposed to go. Plus, when you severe a nerve body from it's axon, the axon dies... since nerve bodies are all over the place (the brain, spinal cord, various ganglia outside of the spinal cord) it seems to me that you would just end up with a lot degrading axons (going in every direction) and a lot of neural connections that will never go back to where they are supposed to go.

04-10-2015, 04:45 PM	#18
Jake Powerplay Quarterback Join Date: Oct 2004 Exp:	I don't see how that can possibly work. Basically all the surgeon can do is sow together the nerves and spinal cord, and hope the axons will regrow to where they are supposed to go. Plus, when you severe a nerve body from it's axon, the axon dies... since nerve bodies are all over the place (the brain, spinal cord, various ganglia outside of the spinal cord) it seems to me that you would just end up with a lot degrading axons (going in every direction) and a lot of neural connections that will never go back to where they are supposed to go.