Sergio Canavero of the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group in Italy is presenting his proposal to use brain-dead organ donors to test a head-transplant technique

Sergio Canavero wants a discussion of the ethics of head transplants (Image: Gughi Fassino/LUZphoto/eyevine)

Is a human head transplant really possible?

Sergio Canavero of the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group in Italy says it is, and he is presenting his proposal today, at the annual conference of the American Academy of Neurological and Orthopedic Surgeons in Annapolis, Maryland.

Canavero intends to use brain-dead organ donors to test the technique and says he could be ready to attempt the operation by 2017. Not surprisingly, there are a number of rather large hurdles he must clear before he will be close to even trying it.

Here’s what you need to know:


Who would put themselves forward for such a crazy operation?

Canavero says he has volunteers. One of them, a Russian man called Valery Spiridonov, is reportedly going to appear with Canavero at the meeting today.

How does Canavero propose to fuse the spinal cords?

He intends to use a chemical called polyethylene glycol, which has been shown to prompt the growth of spinal cord nerves in animals. Whether this is enough to restore motor function between a severed head and a new body is a completely open question – and most experts we spoke to were highly sceptical it could be done.

Why are we calling this procedure a head transplant rather than a body transplant?

The head transplant moniker is partly a hangover from monkey and dog experiments of the last century. This was how the surgeons that carried out those experiments referred to the procedure, and it stuck.

Technically, calling it a body transplant would be more accurate because the head is representative of the person receiving the new body part. But it’s not a whole body transplant. That term is usually used to describe a procedure in which the brain of one organism is transplanted into the body – and skull – of another.

By calling Canavero’s proposed surgery a head transplant it makes it clearer that this involves the head and the brain inside.

What’s the difference between brain and head transplants?

A brain transplant would involve removing the brain from the skull and placing it in a donor skull. It is more difficult than a head transplant because of the complex surgery to separate the brain and blood supply without damaging delicate tissue.

Could the transplant technique work for a cryogenically frozen head?

No. The proposed technique requires a healthy human head and brain. It is not yet known whether it is possible to “defrost” a cryogenically frozen head and resurrect healthy brain tissue.

Even if the surgery works, wouldn’t it be psychologically damaging?

Some people who have received face or limb transplants mourn the loss of their old body part or feel that their self image is conflicted. Studies show that inputs from our body, such as a heartbeat or rumbling stomach, can influence our will power, emotions and language. Who knows whether the person who comes out of the operating room would be the same as the one who went in.

Would there be any benefits apart from getting a healthier body?

If the recipient head is older than the donor body, they may get a rejuvenating boost. Infusions of young blood can raise physical endurance and cognitive function in older animals. A study is now seeing if young blood has the same effect on people with Alzheimer’s.

I’m a registered organ donor. Could my body be used for this?

Each country has its own rules. In the UK, joining the register would not automatically allow your body to be used. “If a person needs something not specified on our forms, we would ask a potential donor’s family to consent,” says an NHS spokesperson. “We would only approach a family if the planned procedure had ethical approval.”

Read more: “First human head transplant could happen in two years“

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