{"id":596484,"date":"2024-01-10T10:12:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T16:12:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/?p=596484"},"modified":"2026-02-27T13:59:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:59:49","slug":"head-transplant-between-madness-and-science","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cerebrodigital.net\/en\/head-transplant-between-madness-and-science\/","title":{"rendered":"Head Transplant: Between Madness and Science"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Years ago, a Turin surgeon announced what would be the first head transplant<\/strong>. It never happened, but less media-hungry researchers don’t rule it out in a very, very distant future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Supposed Head Transplant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\u00bfQu\u00e9
Valery Spiridonov, el inform\u00e1tico a quien se le realizar\u00eda el trasplante de cabeza.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mid-last decade, headlines exploded about Turin surgeon Sergio Canavero<\/strong> claiming the first head transplant. Talk even surfaced of a candidate attaching his head to a new body\u2014really a body transplant<\/strong>, not vice versa. The candidate: 30-year-old Russian computer scientist Valery Spiridonov<\/strong> with spinal muscular atrophy, a congenital\/progressive disease causing severe motor disabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Late 2017 date<\/strong> set, though location\/method unspecified\u2014just needed 150-person team and $10M funding<\/strong> source unknown. Canavero claimed ~50 people sought evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No prior precedent<\/strong> existed; scientific community skeptical. Turin’s Ospedale Molinette<\/strong>\u2014Canavero’s workplace\u2014wanted no part. EU\/U.S. saw unviable operation lacking backing. No one expected success<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decision: perform in China<\/a>, despite Vietnamese hospital offers. Move seemed offshoring<\/strong>\u2014unverifiable research\/process, lax regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Future Treatment?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\u00bfQu\u00e9<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly, Canavero wasn’t alone. U.S.-trained\/experienced surgeon Xiaoping Ren<\/strong> pursued serious, low-profile mouse<\/a> research with peer-reviewed publications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funded by China’s Harbin University, Ren has vast complex hand transplant<\/a> experience. He clarified head transplant not imminent<\/strong> but hopeful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potential indications abound\u2014unimaginable today. Many degenerative body diseases<\/strong> (childhood\/adulthood) leave normal minds trapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technically, not “head transplant”<\/strong>: insurmountable conceptual barrier\u2014central nervous system<\/strong> (life itself) can’t transplant. Theory seeks brain transplant<\/strong> (with\/without skull), so body transplants to head\/brain owner who continues living. Frankenstein creation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Answer: Polyethylene Glycol<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\u00bfQu\u00e9
Sergio Canavero, el hombre que har\u00eda el trasplante de cabeza.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Theory’s problem: no one knows reconnecting severed central nervous fragments<\/strong>\u2014head portion to spinal cord, optic nerve\/retina. Reason paraplegia\/tetraplegia irreversible. Near-fictional scenario.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surgeons propose polyethylene glycol<\/strong> (laxative\/pomade ingredient)\u2014never proven useful. Beyond donor matching (intact organs), custom-connecting head via neck structures (arteries, veins, airways, bones, etc.)\u2014nervous system paramount<\/strong>\u2014and functionality restoration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If unknown in same person, less so donor\/receiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Canavero: none of 50 candidates formalized. Post-media frenzy yielding little\/nothing, surgery never happened<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Russian patient changed mind, married, moved U.S., had son, built thriving AI company\u2014no transplant talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2018: Canavero claimed Chinese patient. No further news. Confirmed: Canavero actively collaborates with Ren at Harbin University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No head transplants or real Frankensteins… yet<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reference:<\/p>\n\n\n\n