Scientists Want to Transplant a Human Head, Here's Why That's a Bad Idea

A group of scientists are planning to perform a human head transplant at the end of 2017. But is their plan scientifically feasible?



Read More:

Surgeons Conduct Head Transplants on Rats, Say Humans Are Next
"Chinese scientists have transplanted the head of a donor rat onto the back of a host body, creating an equally garish and impressive two-headed rat that may offer insights into the viability of an eventual human head transplant."

Human Head Transplant Patient to Use VR to Prep for New Body
"The world's first human head transplant is still on schedule for 2017, according to Italian surgeon Sergio Canavero who's been saying say for years that he will perform the procedure. The latest news is that Canavero's patient, 30 year-old Valery Spiridonov of Russia, will use a virtual reality system for several months before the surgery to prepare for the experience of controlling an entirely new body."

Head Transplant Surgeon Says He's Successfully Reattached The Spinal Cords of a Bunch More Animals
"The Italian neuroscientist who wants to try and preform the first human head transplant has co-edited a series of papers claiming to have conducted similar transplants on mice, rats, and a dog."
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[jamesfra]

Technically, It's grafting onto a vegetable?

[robertpostman]

There are a lot of things worse than death, like living completely paralyzed from the neck down. If I were unable to move on my own or function on my own I would be willing to risk this.

[zoutuk]

Wont the new body's cells attack the brain cells?

[AlwaysAskQuestion]

I like how people who aren't Doctors/Surgeons are giving medical advice

[ItDANinja]

The person who's getting a new body aka the head. Has a condition similar to Steven hawking. His body is slowly shutting down and he's losing control of his body. His current life expectancy is coming to the last decade of his life. He's doing it to take the chance to better himself as well as "taking a step for science". Hope this cleared up some stuff for people confused to why someone would want this.

[nuckenfutz]

You don't make progress without trying crazy shit. Last time a head of a significant animal was transplanted (as far as I know) was in the 1950's, and that was done on a dog with PARTIAL success. It's now around 67 years later with much greater technology and medical knowledge. Even though this sort of operation is controversial, it needs to be done for science.

[whipcream]

Just a thought:
If this succeeds, we have found a solution to Paralysis.

[manthehuman]

Let me know when science figures out how to transplant a will to live

[TitaniusAnglesmith]

If both parties agree, why the hell not. People said the same types of things about Blundell with blood transfusions and about the first organ transplants.

[MissesWitch]

My first reaction seeing the Italian Neurosurgeon: "He looks like a mad scientist!"

[Z_kun]

Imagine just waking up and your head is just connected to a rock.

[flamefern]

"there are a lot of things worse then death" says the person living a normal life, the head donar has no life already, if he wants to donate for that tiny chance to get one, let him and stop being a hypocrite.

[musicaddict]

No need to workout anymore ladies and gentlmen ! Just pay some buffed guy to switch body with him.

[kato_dsrdr]

It's chilling how possible this is. Well to be fair, every medical big improvement is chilling.. I just can imagine how freaked out people when they found out the first organ transplant.

[natea]

stuff like this makes me hopeful for the future. as someone who has lived with full body disability and pain since i was a child, i would volunteer to be a test subject for something like this right now if i could, even if survival chances were only around 5% or 10%.

[mrpeelage]

Not gonna lie, Cannavaro looks like such an evil villain

[shadowthehedgehog]

This is beyond creepy to me, but I recognize that this could really change people's lives for the better, so I wish the doctor and the patient the best of luck.

[notimer]

It’s January 2018 and I can’t find anything on google about how this went. Follow up??

[lenir]

I thought she had a spider in her shirt...

[cimmik]

Who is the donor? The person, who had the body, or the person, who had the head?
In other words: is it a head donation or a body donation?