Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Brain death: neuropathological findings and forensic implications

M Oehmichen1

  • 1Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Medizinischen Universität, Germany.

Forensic Science International
|December 16, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Brain death, defined as intracranial circulatory arrest, presents specific morphological changes. Neuropathological examination is crucial for forensic medicine to address critical questions surrounding death declaration and timing.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Mast cell reactivity at the margin of human skin wounds: an early cell marker of wound survival?

Forensic science international·2009
Same author

Macrophage subsets in mechanical brain injury (MBI)--a contribution to timing of MBI based on immunohistochemical methods: a pilot study.

Legal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)·2009
Same author

The effect of chronic alcohol consumption on mitochondrial DNA mutagenesis in human blood.

Mutation research·2007
Same author

A new sensitive short pentaplex (ShoP) PCR for typing of degraded DNA.

Forensic science international·2006
Same author

Fall or shaken: traumatic brain injury in children caused by falls or abuse at home - a review on biomechanics and diagnosis.

Neuropediatrics·2005
Same author

Gunshot injuries to the head and brain caused by low-velocity handguns and rifles. A review.

Forensic science international·2004

Area of Science:

  • Forensic Neuropathology
  • Clinical Neurology

Background:

  • Brain death is pathophysiologically defined as intracranial circulatory arrest.
  • Morphological features of brain death include cerebral edema and absence of reactive changes.
  • Respirator brain exhibits specific hallmarks after 15-36 hours, such as global softening and discoloration.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the forensic implications of brain death.
  • To elucidate the necessity of neuropathological examination in diagnosing brain death.
  • To address challenges in determining the time of death and differentiating respirator brain from autolytic brain.

Main Methods:

  • Pathophysiological definition of brain death.
  • Description of morphological features associated with brain death and respirator brain.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Discussion of forensic implications supported by real-life case examples.

    • Main Results:

    • Brain death is characterized by cerebral edema, lack of reactive changes, and specific post-mortem findings.
    • Neuropathological examination is essential for forensic practice, aiding in death declaration and timing.
    • Distinguishing respirator brain from autolytic brain is a key forensic challenge addressed by neuropathology.

    Conclusions:

    • Neuropathological examination is indispensable for clarifying critical questions in clinically diagnosed brain death cases.
    • Forensic medicine relies on detailed neuropathological analysis to accurately determine death and its circumstances.
    • Understanding the morphological changes of brain death is vital for legal and medical contexts.