Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 2, 2025
05:03
Brain Death Induction in Mice Using Intra-Arterial Blood Pressure Monitoring and Ventilation via Tracheostomy
Published on: April 17, 2020
5.6K
Brain death/death by neurologic criteria determination: an update
Gea Drost1, Anthony R Absalom2, Michael A Kuiper3,4
1University of Groningen, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology
|August 9, 2022
Summary
Brain death, or death by neurologic criteria (DNC), involves irreversible loss of brain function. Global efforts are harmonizing diagnostic criteria to ensure consistency and public trust in determining death.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Ethics
- Forensic Medicine
Background:
- Brain death, also known as death by neurologic criteria (DNC), is a critical concept in determining the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brainstem.
- Establishing uniform criteria for brain death is essential for accurate diagnosis and public confidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a historical overview of the concept of brain death.
- To present recent updates on the diagnosis and definition of brain death/DNC.
- To discuss unresolved issues and ongoing efforts toward international harmonization.
Main Methods:
- Review of historical literature and current guidelines on brain death determination.
- Analysis of recent international multidisciplinary collaborations and their published minimum criteria.
- Discussion of diagnostic criteria, including cardiopulmonary and neurologic criteria.
Main Results:
- Significant global variability exists in the determination of brain death.
- International collaboration has led to the development of harmonized minimum criteria for brain death diagnosis.
- Progress has been made in improving public trust through standardized diagnostic processes.
Conclusions:
- Death can be declared based on either cardiopulmonary criteria or neurologic criteria (brain death/DNC).
- Brain death declaration requires the permanent loss of all cerebrum and brainstem functions, evidenced by persistent coma, absent brainstem reflexes, and no spontaneous respiration.
- While consensus on minimum criteria has been achieved, some inconsistencies and questions regarding brain death determination persist.
