Donation of the brain

[Branders]

I have seen it posted that donation of the body to science is morally acceptable. I have also seen that donating organs is also a laudable act on the part of a Christian. I am, however, under the impression that donation of the brain and reproductive organs are NOT permissable. Is this correct? Can the brain be donated to science after death?

Thank you!

 

[underacloud]

Logically, if one’s body is donated to science, the brain and repoductive organs are part of that body and donated too. Are you asking whether the brain and reproductive organs first need to be removed before the rest of the body is donated? Or are you asking whether it is OK to separately donate just the brain and/or reproductive organs apart from the rest of the body?

Regarding donating the body to science, here is a fairly good account of the principles:

lifeissues.net/writers/may/may_52donatingorgans.html

Following on from that, I see no reason or particular principle for separating the brain and reproductive organs first. But to offer them separately to the entire body seems odd, and I can’t see that it would fit with the principles outlined. The principles outlined seem to allow for donation of the body to science or certain organs to be removed for transplant purposes. I think it would be an unsupported conclusion to say that certainly organs (brain, reproductive organs, or any other) could be separately donated to science.

Also, I see no reason why the brain and/or reproductive organs would be regarded any differently than any other organ.

 

[funion987]

Also, I see no reason why the brain and/or reproductive organs would be regarded any differently than any other organ.

Well, we don’t believe in sperm donation, do we? I mean, to reproduce we need the conjugal act; these cannot be separated. That is the reason why in-vitro fertilization, for instance, is immoral.

So I don’t think we can give our reproductive organs because they would produce our reproductive cells, no? And our reproductive cells are only to be united with our parter’s in the conjugal marital act.

 

[GEddie]

IIUC, any part of the dead human body can be donated; and, in fact, it is the whole body, not parts thereof, that is donated.

Although the brain is special while alive, because it houses our human mind; it does not do so when dead. The human mind is a product of the soul and accompanies the soul. It cannot be harvested from the dead head.

There would likewise be no issues with the reproductive system in this context. Dead is dead. Morally objectionable reproductions require living cells from a living body, IIUC.

ICXC NIKA

 

[underacloud]

Well, we don’t believe in sperm donation, do we? I mean, to reproduce we need the conjugal act; these cannot be separated. That is the reason why in-vitro fertilization, for instance, is immoral.

So I don’t think we can give our reproductive organs because they would produce our reproductive cells, no? And our reproductive cells are only to be united with our parter’s in the conjugal marital act.

Sorry, I don’t think I follow you.

Are you implying that someone would donate their reproductive parts after death so that someone can use them for procreation? I have never heard of such a thing!

Also, reproducive organs removed from a dead body will not produce or sustain reproductive cells (by which I assume you mean sperm or ovum).

We are talking about donating the body to science for the purpose of scientific study. As addressed above, this seems perfectly acceptable, assuming the body is subsequently dealt with in the appropriate manner (typically cremated and interred).

 

[funion987]

Dead is dead. Morally objectionable reproductions require living cells from a living body, IIUC.ICXC NIKA

Right, but the cells are living. I mean, if the cells of the heart you received in a transplant were dead, the heart would do you no good.

 

[funion987]

Sorry, I don’t think I follow you.

Are you implying that someone would donate their reproductive parts after death so that someone can use them for procreation? I have never heard of such a thing!

Also, reproducive organs removed from a dead body will not produce or sustain reproductive cells (by which I assume you mean sperm or ovum).

We are talking about donating the body to science for the purpose of scientific study. As addressed above, this seems perfectly acceptable, assuming the body is subsequently dealt with in the appropriate manner (typically cremated and interred).

OK. OK. I misunderstood. I took “donation” to mean transplant donation, which is actually dumb because the OP said “to science.” If you’re donating your body as a cadaver, yeah, I agree, all organs are fair game.

 

[GEddie]

Right, but the cells are living. I mean, if the cells of the heart you received in a transplant were dead, the heart would do you no good.

Indeed, but are we concerned with donating organs for transplant, or bodies to science?

If the first, yes, retrieving the gonadal cells for donation would be a problem. (The brain, however, would not be, because the soul/mind has gone; although since brain cells are normally the first to perish in human death, it would likely be a nonissue.)

If the 2nd, there would be no issues at all.

ICXC NIKA

 

[underacloud]

OK. OK. I misunderstood. I took “donation” to mean transplant donation, which is actually dumb because the OP said “to science.” If you’re donating your body as a cadaver, yeah, I agree, all organs are fair game.

Ah, no problem!

 

[Branders]

I thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut, however in viewing the Charter for Health Care Workers, released in 1994 by the Pontifical Academy on Life in states in #88:

Ethically, not all organs can be donated. The brain and the gonads may not be transplanted because they ensure the personal and procreative identity respectively. These are organs which embody the characteristic uniqueness of the person, which medicine is bound to protect.

That is why I am inquiring to the moral permissability of donating the whole body to science. Thanks.

 

[GEddie]

I thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut, however in viewing the Charter for Health Care Workers, released in 1994 by the Pontifical Academy on Life in states in #88:

Ethically, not all organs can be donated. The brain and the gonads may not be transplanted because they ensure the personal and procreative identity respectively. These are organs which embody the characteristic uniqueness of the person, which medicine is bound to protect.

That is why I am inquiring to the moral permissability of donating the whole body to science. Thanks.

ISTM that the word “transplant” is the key.

Your brain, and the mind it holds, make you “you”. Transplanting the brain, If that were possible, would confound your (dead) identity with the recipient’s.

Gonadal cells carry the genetic uniqueness of your body generationally. Transplanting them would amount to sperm donation or surrogacy, niether of which is morally permissible.

But in body donation for science (not transplant) this would not arise.

ICXC NIKA

 

[PumpkinSeed]

Its your dead body. You should be able to decide what happens to it.

 

[hannajomar]

I thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut, however in viewing the Charter for Health Care Workers, released in 1994 by the Pontifical Academy on Life in states in #88:

Ethically, not all organs can be donated. The brain and the gonads may not be transplanted because they ensure the personal and procreative identity respectively. These are organs which embody the characteristic uniqueness of the person, which medicine is bound to protect.

That is why I am inquiring to the moral permissability of donating the whole body to science. Thanks.

I believe these restrictions only apply for transplant donations. As far as I know, we may donate any part of our body for scientific research after we are dead. My Grandpa (RIP) suffered for a long time with a rare form of Parkinson’s disease. Before his symptoms got too debilitating, he joined a research study. While the study focused on him while he was alive - extensive questionnaires, medical examinations, etc. - he also chose to donate his brain to this study, so that may be it could somehow help to cure or prevent other people from having to suffer through this. Even though he signed all the papers and gave consent while he was alive, the family still had to okay the brain donation after he passed.

It was done in a dignified manner. We were even informed that after they removed the brain, we could still have an open casket at the funeral. Our family usually doesn’t have open caskets anyway, but the rest of his body was buried as anyone else’s would be.