Knowra Brain death Brain death Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brainstem. It is recognized as death under applicable medical and legal standards.
Brainstem reflexes : Automatic responses mediated by the brainstem, including pupillary, corneal, and gag reflexes. Their absence is assessed during the neurological examination for brain death.
Coma : A state of unarousable unconsciousness with absent or severely limited purposeful responses. Unlike brain death, coma can be reversible and does not by itself meet criteria for death.
Brainstem : The lower part of the brain connecting the cerebrum with the spinal cord and controlling vital reflexes. Its functions are explicitly included in the definition and clinical assessment of brain death.
Determination of death : The medical and legal process of deciding whether a person has died. Brain death is one recognized pathway within this broader process.
Death by neurological criteria : A term for determining death based on the permanent loss of brain function under specified criteria. Its use highlights differing terminology and definitions across medical and legal systems.
Apnea test : A clinical test that evaluates whether rising carbon dioxide triggers spontaneous breathing. No respiratory effort despite an adequate carbon-dioxide stimulus supports the diagnosis.
Unresponsive wakefulness syndrome : A disorder of consciousness marked by wakefulness without reliable evidence of awareness. Patients may open their eyes and retain brainstem function, unlike people diagnosed with brain death.
Intracranial pressure : The pressure exerted by cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and brain tissue within the skull. Severe pressure can disrupt cerebral blood flow and lead to catastrophic, irreversible brain injury.
Uniform Determination of Death Act : A United States model law defining death by irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or all functions of the entire brain. It provides a legal framework adopted, with variations, by many U.S. jurisdictions.
Religious views on brain death : Religious interpretations of whether and when brain death constitutes the death of a person. Some traditions or authorities dispute whether neurological criteria alone establish death.
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