First Human Head Transplant
A former NHS neurosurgeon has claimed that the first-ever human head transplant could be successfully performed by 2030. He believes how he knows how the feat of moving a person’s consciousness to another body could be made to work.
Bruce Mathew, a former clinical lead for neurosurgery at Hull University Teaching Hospitals, while working on a science fiction novel with the Institute of Futurology founder Michael Lee when he realized the potential key to making the HUman Head transplant surgery a success.
He believes that in a Human Head Transplant surgeons should consider transplanting the head as well as the spinal cord.
Previously, few scientists striving to make head transplants a reality have mainly focused on methods that sever the spinal cord. Dr. Mathew considers this idea as “utterly ridiculous.”
Due to advancements in nerve surgery, robotics, and stem cell transplants, Dr. Mathew believes that it could be possible to reattach an entire spinal cord and its corresponding head to another body before 2030. Dr. Mathew thinks the strategy of transplanting the whole brain and the spinal cord would be the most effective procedure.
Dr. Mathew adds, “The spinal cord is the most profound thing imaginable
. You need to keep the brain connected to the spinal cord.”In 2017, Sergio Canavero claimed to have performed a successful First Human Head Transplant- on a human corpse based on a method that cuts the spinal cord at the base of the neck.
Dr. Canavero claimed electrical stimulation proved First Human Head Transplant had been a success. Still, other scientists criticized the claims and pointed to his previous claim of success with a monkey, which never regained consciousness and would have remained paralyzed if it had done so.
Mr. Canavero, who has a willing human volunteer lined up, suggested his work could pave the way to immortality.
While the method suggested by Dr. Mathew would be of no help to those with spinal injuries, it could help those with degenerative muscle diseases. Dr. Mathew added that there are still doubts as to whether the head and spine could be made to integrate with another person’s DNA successfully. He believes stem cell transplants could be used to prevent rejection.
Editor’s Note: First Human Head Transplant, Human Organ Transplant
