X-Message-Number: 1496 Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 09:26:11 -0500 From: Ken Stone <> Subject: Sedatives and Neural Ischemia. Has anyone investigated the use of major sedatives to slow neural function immediately before clinical death? consider: (1) The brain burns more oxygen than any other part of the body. (2) Reduced neural activity has been shown to correspond to a significant reduction in oxygen consumption. (3) Some sedatives significantly reduce neural activity. I would imagine that a lot of ischemic damage during cool-down (and warm-up!) could be avoided by infusing sodium pentothal (e.g.) into the blood before cardio-vascular failure occurs. Although the idea is not without its problems (complications with revival, added hassles from hostile coroners, etc.), I think the potential gains from not having oxygen-starved neurons are pretty self-evident... ---Ken Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=1496