What is Conciousness? continued page 4.

  This property of self awareness that a living being is endowed with, why and when (or if), does it end :

 

4. When does it End (if at all) ?

It ends when:

Loss of Identity of Self = Loss of Consciousness = Death

Thus Loss of consciousness occurs in the following conditions:

1. No Cardiovascular/Pulmonary Function (CPR)
2. Neurological Death (loss of all higher brain functions)
3. Persistant Vegetative State (coma, zombie)
4. Anencephalics (developmental malformation)
5. Brain Disease (advanced dementia or other brain disorders)
6. Zero brain activity (electrical, but chemical activity persist)

But all these definations are still controversial and one of the arguments rarely confronted is "What about the energy of the mind (soul)" is this just lost as the brain machinery ceases to function.

However, we could generalise that : Consciousness = Life

 

4.5 - Brain Disease affects Consciousness

  Various malfunctions of the brain machinery are known for example:

1. Neurogenetic diseases (such as schizophrenia, autism, dyslexia, Downs syndrome, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis)
2. Degenerative disorders (Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's).
3. Trauma (stroke, spinal cord injuries, hydroencephalus, head injury).
4. Other behavioural and whole brain (attention deficit disorder, bulimia, cerebral palsy, depression, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, epilepsy, brain tumours)


Other changes that are less obvious and could affect consciousness are related to:

Aging and Stress (emotional, metabolic and hormonal changes) however, in these conditions consciousness could be enhanced.

 

4.5b - Future Research into Brain Disease

1. Neuroscientists are mapping the brain's biochemical circuitry, to produce more effective drugs for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases.
2. How the brain's cells and chemicals develop, interact, and communicate treatments for people with depressive disorders, epileptic seizures, addictions.
3. Molecular genetics show great promise of yielding methods to treat and prevent Huntington's disease and the muscular dystrophies.
4. Because there is a connection between the body's nervous and immune systems, studies of the brain may also help enhance our understanding of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
5. Powerful microscopes, brain imaging, genetics and neuroscience advances will hopefully one day enhance use of the full potential of our brain ......and
6. Other unknown powers of the brain not yet understood (ESP).

 

 

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