[irish_lad]

How does the heart know how to "beat" if she has no brain?

The brain's primitive functionality located in the cerebellum remains active even though conscious thought found the cerebral cortex is non-existant. If EKG readings cannot find synapse activity, a person could have a beating heart for many years with a feeding tube, but it is impossible for a person to recover their cognitive activity once synapse activity ceases.

[Domestic Church]

I think you mean EEG, not EKG.

[Thumper1960]

For the love of......

EKG refers to cardiac rhythm. As in: electrocardiogram. EEG refers to brainwave activity. As in: electroencephalogram.

Terri Schiavo has both. A heartbeat and brain activity. Not as little brain activity as her "HINO" would like, however.

[TomB]

The brain's primitive functionality located in the cerebellum remains active even though conscious thought found the cerebral cortex is non-existant. If EKG readings cannot find synapse activity, a person could have a beating heart for many years with a feeding tube, but it is impossible for a person to recover their cognitive activity once synapse activity ceases.

You would have a better chance at being taken seriously if you didn't confuse the completely different terms EEG and EKG. Especially since it was pointed out to you earlier.

Please see LadyDoc's post 257 for a refutation of your assertions.

[Calpernia]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1006219/posts?page=243#243

[epow]

The brain's primitive functionality located in the cerebellum remains active even though conscious thought found the cerebral cortex is non-existant. If EKG readings cannot find synapse activity, a person could have a beating heart for many years with a feeding tube, but it is impossible for a person to recover their cognitive activity once synapse activity ceases.

Oh I see. And you are a medical doctor, right?

[nmh]

I am compelled to but in on your condensending arrogance, irish_lad.

Someone else: "How does the heart know how to "beat" if she has no brain?"

irish_lad: "The brain's primitive functionality located in the cerebellum remains active even though conscious thought found the cerebral cortex is non-existant."

Words nearly fail me. The brain's "PRIMITIVE" functionality ... excuse me but the brain is highly complex and NOT thoroughly understood. You don't know if there is conscious thought or not. This is nothing more than cold, clinical speculation.

[FITZ]

Have you ever actually SEEN someone in a coma? It isn't what you think it is --- it's like someone in a deep sleep state, sometimes they mumble something, they respond when you speak to them, they'll open their eyes and watch you. If you are performing a medical procedure on them, it's very important to explain to them so as not to startle them. You can't know what they feel ---- but one thing --- if anyone loses their will to live, they cannot be kept alive with a mere feeding tube.