brain death
Irreversible neurological cessation
Brain death is the irreversible cessation of all brain function, including the brainstem.
Unlike a coma or vegetative state, a brain-dead person cannot recover—the condition is legally and medically equivalent to death, even if machines keep the heart beating and lungs breathing.
The family agreed to organ donation after doctors confirmed brain death.
Informally, brain-dead describes someone acting stupid or unresponsive.
Lower neural trunk
- comaUnwakeable unconsciousness
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- isoelectricHaving equal charge
- neurological examClinical nervous system evaluation
intensive care · life support · ventilator · hypoxia · anoxia · encephalopathy · cortex · electroencephalogram
Status as a person
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- irreversibilityState of being permanent
- soulInnermost animating essence
- mind-bodyMental-physical relationship
ontological · existential · mortality · finitude · cessation
Gifting body parts for transplant
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- dignityInnate personal worth
- bioethicsMoral philosophy for medicine
end-of-life care · withdrawal of care · medical ethics · informed consent · advance directive · right to die · religious exemption · quality of life
Formal public announcement
- pronouncementFormal authoritative statement
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- criteriaStandards for judgment
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
One who contributes freely
- organ harvestingRemoving body parts for transplant
- recipientOne who receives something
- transplantationSurgical organ relocation
- kidneyBlood-filtering organ
liver · heart · lung · procurement · tissue typing · compatibility · allocation · waiting list
brainstem
Lower neural trunk
- comaUnwakeable unconsciousness
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- isoelectricHaving equal charge
neurological exam · intensive care · life support · ventilator · hypoxia · anoxia · encephalopathy · cortex · electroencephalogram · neurologist
personhood
Status as a person
- consciousnessState of sentient awareness
- irreversibilityState of being permanent
- soulInnermost animating essence
mind-body · ontological · existential · mortality · finitude · cessation
organ donation
Gifting body parts for transplant
- consentVoluntary agreement given
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- dignityInnate personal worth
bioethics · end-of-life care · withdrawal of care · medical ethics · informed consent · advance directive · right to die · religious exemption · quality of life · beneficence
declaration
Formal public announcement
- pronouncementFormal authoritative statement
- jurisdictionLegal authority's scope
- criteriaStandards for judgment
documentation · physician · coroner · medical examiner · next of kin
donor
One who contributes freely
- organ harvestingRemoving body parts for transplant
- recipientOne who receives something
- transplantationSurgical organ relocation
kidney · liver · heart · lung · procurement · tissue typing · compatibility · allocation · waiting list · life-saving
- deathdeceased, corpse, mortality, demise, dying
- bioethicsbioethics, medical ethics, genetic engineering, beneficence, non-maleficence
- Brain Disordersdementia, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's disease
- death causesnatural causes, homicide, murder, suffocation, strangulation
- death lawprobate, estate tax, inheritance tax, inheritance law, executor
- End-of-Lifeadvance directive, DNR, do not resuscitate, hospice, life support
brain deathconsciousness
State of sentient awareness
wakefulness · awareness · sentience · cognitive function · neural activity
death, brain, deadly, brainy, brains, brainless, cerebral, dead, brained