Head transplant: Russian man to become first to undergo pioneering and controversial surgery - Polidicks

[b]Head transplant: Russian man to become first to undergo pioneering and controversial surgery[/b] Via [url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/head-transplant-russian-man-to-become-first-to-undergo-pioneering-and-controversial-surgery-10162639.html]Independent.co.uk[/url] _________________________ [quote][img]http://i.imgur.com/zy84QN7.jpg[/img] [i]A monstrous idea? Body transplants might no longer be science fiction[/i] - - - The first man set to undergo a head transplant has been revealed, saying that he finds the controversial surgery “very scary, but also very interesting”. Valery Spiridinov is set to be the first person to undergo the operation. It will be carried out by controversial Italian doctor Sergio Canavero, whose optimistic plans have mostly been met with scepticism. But Spiridonov — who has the rare genetic Werdnig-Hoffman disease, which gradually wastes away muscles — says that he is willing to undergo the risky procedure to give himself a chance at living in a healthy body. “Am I afraid? Yes, of course I am. But it is not just very scary, but also very interesting,” Spiridonov, speaking from his house in the Russian town of Vladimir about 120 miles from Moscow, told MailOnline. “But you have to understand that I don't really have many choices,” he said. “If I don't try this chance my fate will be very sad. With every year my state is getting worse.” Spiridinov said that he has spoken with Dr Canavaro over Skype but they are yet to meet. The Russian man was chosen from a number of people that emailed and wrote to Canavaro to ask to undergo the procedure, he said. Canavaro raised scepticism earlier this year when he said that he would be able to carry out the procedure within two years. Other medical experts called the procedure unlikely, and rare, as well as highlighting the fact that it would never be used for those that simply want to replace an ailing body. Some have even compared Canavaro to Frankenstein.[/quote] Pic of Valery in his current state: [img]http://i.imgur.com/PWJ6VNQ.jpg[/img] Can't say I blame him, I'd totally volunteer as well. In that state, you'd have nothing to lose, and at best, it'd be a pretty extravagant way of getting euthanized. However, there's also the complete uncertainty about [url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/man-undergoing-head-transplant-could-experience-something-a-lot-worse-than-death-says-neurological-10164423.html]the neurological impact this could have on him[/url] (pretty good read), if they happen to succeed. The whole thing is extremely fascinating, I'll be following this development quite closely.

Would this not make him a quadriplegic, at best? I mean the best case scenario isn't WORSE, but still.

Imagine the body rejecting

Here's TEDx's talk with Dr. Canavero [hd]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV5pOO5Mt64[/hd] Very fascinating.

If this were to be a success, I hope it will give us a bunch of inside and hopefully we will be able to help other people.

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;50831919]Here's TEDx's talk with Dr. Canavero [hd]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV5pOO5Mt64[/hd] Very fascinating.[/QUOTE] Wasn't this the very same doctor who raised a stink with Hideo Kojima about his likeness being used in MGSV, apparently without his permission? Accent and everything. [t]https://goo.gl/HPnMnc[/t] [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHHeJC1oHkU[/media] Video is wild speculation by a fan just before the game came out, but does show the similarities in their mannerisms and faces more clearly.

Isn't this the same guy that was talking about this last year and people thought it was a Ruse that Kojima was pulling for MGSV?

[QUOTE=archangel125;50831939]Wasn't this the very same doctor who raised a stink with Hideo Kojima about his likeness being used in MGSV, apparently without his permission? Accent and everything. [t]https://goo.gl/HPnMnc[/t][/QUOTE] If I recall, that doctor is based on the character's motion capture actor, who just happened to look like the real doctor.

[QUOTE=LoLWaT?;50831959]The Kio Marv look-a-like / throw away character that took everyone by surprise. I still wonder whether they actually scanned a real person or specifically modeled the character after that guy.[/QUOTE] I don't know why, but I'm not buying the story that the motion capture actor looked like him - if only because I can't find pictures of said actor anywhere. Anyway, more on topic, I'm not sure it's even possible to do this. Connecting the nerves in the neck seems like a pipe dream.

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;50831896]However, there's also the complete uncertainty about [url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/man-undergoing-head-transplant-could-experience-something-a-lot-worse-than-death-says-neurological-10164423.html]the neurological impact this could have on him[/url] (pretty good read), if they happen to succeed.[/QUOTE] [quote=article]Arthur Caplan, director of medical ethics at New York University’s Langone Medical Centre, who described Dr Canavero as "nuts", believes that the bodies of head transplant patients "would end up being overwhelmed with different pathways and chemistry than they are used to and they’d go crazy."[/quote] I'm not sure. Even the worst-best-case scenario sounds like it'd give science some good data for future research. It also reads like something out of a sci-fi novel.

i'd hate to be the doctor slicing into his neck knowing that there is a very likely chance that he won't survive the procedure but its for science so i guess you have to do what you have to do

Would his muscular disease transfer over to his new host body?

True. Even if they manage to keep Valery's head in a jar, hooked up to a lot of computers and monitors and somehow shows brain activity, it'd be a massive leap. What kind of brain activity? That's a whole 'nother thing entirely. Like the other article I've linked, we have absolutely no idea what could mean to practically resurrect his head, like going completely insane. :/ [editline]5th August 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=T553412;50831974]I'm not sure. Even the worst-best-case scenario sounds like it'd give science some good data for future research. It also reads like something out of a sci-fi novel.[/QUOTE] Canavero is real-life Frankenstein. I'm more than happy to know that at least someone will give it a shot, along with a small army of 150 other doctors.

Hoping this guy gets a place in the history books as the first survivor of the operation.

Even if he doesn't survive, we could learn a lot from the experiment. Tapping into that aspect of neurobiology would give us very valuable data.

[QUOTE=EddieLTU;50831913]Imagine the body rejecting[/QUOTE] This happened before, to a research monkey. They did a head transplant, the monkey turned out totally paralyzed, could not breath on its own, and died after 8 days because the body's immune system attacked the head. While the fact that the monkey survived at all is amazing, it's only the beginning.

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;50831896] However, there's also the complete uncertainty about [url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/man-undergoing-head-transplant-could-experience-something-a-lot-worse-than-death-says-neurological-10164423.html]the neurological impact this could have on him[/url] (pretty good read), if they happen to succeed.[/QUOTE] Am I missing a 'next page' button or something? Or is the article literally just the one page that sort of touches on the 1970's experiment with the monkey? You can't toss out the phrase "could result in a hitherto never experienced level and quality of insanity." and not elaborate.

Why is it always the US or Russia that do stuff like this?

That article is more than a year old. Have there been any developments in the story since then?

[QUOTE=Pretiacruento;50831919]Here's TEDx's talk with Dr. Canavero [hd]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV5pOO5Mt64[/hd] Very fascinating.[/QUOTE] Dude this guy sounds crazy. He's like the real-life version of the satire TEDx talk Sam Hyde crashed. Watching him drop a bundle of spaghetti on the floor and say "this is a spinal injury" was too much for me.

[QUOTE=Berkin;50832122]That article is more than a year old. Have there been any developments in the story since then?[/QUOTE] Yes, [URL="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3721986/Patient-set-undergo-world-s-human-head-transplant-says-Dr-Frankenstein-reveal-details-operation-month.html"]Canavaro will reveal more details next month.[/URL] Didn't post it in the OP because it's Daily Mail, but that's what we know so far. [editline]5th August 2016[/editline] [quote]- Valery Spiridonov will undergo the first ever human head transplant - The 31-year-old is wheelchair reliant due to a muscle-wasting disease - Operation will allow him to walk for the first time in his adult life - His pioneering procedure is expected to take place in December 2017 - His surgeon - dubbed Dr Frankenstein will reveal more in September[/quote]

[quote]- Operation will allow him to walk for the first time in his adult life[/quote] Daily Mail just pulling things out of their ass again

[QUOTE=Perrine;50832184]Daily Mail just pulling things out of their ass again[/QUOTE] Sells more copies to soccermoms, if he wiggles a toe then I'll be jawdrop amazed.

[QUOTE=Sir.Smile;50832112]Why is it always the US or Russia that do stuff like this?[/QUOTE] Because they don't put up with idiots that protest scientific advances because they feel that the methods are "questionable" like most of the west does. It's like stem cell research or cloning. Both proven and extremely effective biological sciences that could solve so many problems but no one in the west will touch it because literally everyone becomes an expert and voices their idiot opinion too loud and too often when they try.

[QUOTE=Snoberry Tea;50832367]Because they don't put up with idiots that protest scientific advances because they feel that the methods are "questionable" like most of the west does. It's like stem cell research or cloning. Both proven and extremely effective biological sciences that could solve so many problems but no one in the west will touch it because literally everyone becomes an expert and voices their idiot opinion too loud and too often when they try.[/QUOTE] Except both of those things are being heavily researched in a lot of western countries?

[QUOTE=archangel125;50832427]Except both of those things are being heavily researched in a lot of western countries?[/QUOTE] I haven't heard of any progress in them for a long time. Are they being very quiet about it?

[QUOTE=Snoberry Tea;50832503]I haven't heard of any progress in them for a long time. Are they being very quiet about it?[/QUOTE] Have you bothered reading about it? There are major difficulties to overcome before people can be cloned or organs can be grown. Scientists can easily clone tissue cells and cause them to multiply in a controlled environment, but they can't yet grow a working organ from them - at least not any complex one. Just because they've been looking into it for years, don't expect major breakthroughs anytime soon. It's one thing to get cells to multiply and keep them alive, quite another to make them take the form of a functional, healthy organ and work together correctly.

[QUOTE=Mr. Someguy;50832044]This happened before, to a research monkey. They did a head transplant, the monkey turned out totally paralyzed, could not breath on its own, and died after 8 days because the body's immune system attacked the head. While the fact that the monkey survived at all is amazing, it's only the beginning.[/QUOTE] The brain is immunoprivileged. The immune system won't attack it.

[QUOTE=download;50832816]The brain is immunoprivileged. The immune system won't attack it.[/QUOTE] Apparently it's now debated if the brain is immunoprivileged. [url]http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/important-link-between-the-brain-and-immune-system-found/[/url]

RIP Valery Spiridinov.