Science fiction turns real as frozen brain wakes up in near-perfect form

Scientists have successfully brought a frozen brain back to life with neurons perfectly generating electrical activity, the mitochondria functioning without any signs of damage and other delicate membranes intact. This is a revolutionary occurrence in the field of cryopreservation. A team of neurologists at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in Germany managed to overcome a major hurdle - freezing complex biological tissue without damaging it irreversibly. Cryopreserving brains has been deemed particularly hard because of the formation of ice crystals. As the water freezes, crystals form and expand and can disrupt the delicate network of neurons which are responsible for thought, memory and consciousness. When the brain is thawed, it is incapable of working in the same way as before because of damaged tissues. Scientists in Erlangen–Nuremberg came up with a technique known as vitrification. The study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

How was the brain frozen and then thawed?

Using this process, they were able to prevent the formation of ice crystals. All liquids freeze so rapidly that crystallisation does not occur, and the liquids inside and around the cells transform into a glass-like state. All molecular motion instantly stops, and the tissue's inherent structure remains as it is. They tested the technology on thin slices of mouse hippocampus, a region in the brain linked to learning and memory. Liquid nitrogen at -196 degrees Celsius was used to freeze the brain portions. They were then stored for 10 minutes to a week. Thawing them was just as important, and the warming was done quickly to prevent ice from forming. Researchers checked for any signs of life.

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How was the brain responding?

They found that delicate neuronal and synaptic membranes showed no changes. The mitochondria, the energy source inside cells, were functioning, and the neurons showed electrical activity. The complex, functional circuitry that forms the basis of cognition was also intact. Only a slight difference was seen in how the he cells responded to electrical stimuli. Mrityunjay Kothari, a mechanical engineer specialising in cryobiology, told Nature, "This kind of progress is what gradually turns science fiction into scientific possibility." However, he conceded that long-term banking of large organs or mammals remains "far beyond the capabilities of the study." What it can do is pave the way for further research on protecting the brain after severe injury or during disease.