Skip to main content

Table 1 Responses to the question on conceptual reasons to explain why brain death is equivalent to death

From: A survey of American neurologists about brain death: understanding the conceptual basis and diagnostic tests for brain death

Conceptual reason

Neurologist responses (n = 192)

95% Confidence interval

Higher brain concept

93 (48%)

41-55%

   Irreversible loss of consciousness

82 (43%)

36-50%

   Irreversible loss of the soul or "essence" of humans

39 (20%)

15-27%

   Irreversible loss of "personhood"

43 (22%)

17-29%

Irreversible loss of the integration of body functions by the brain

52 (27%)

21-34%

Prognosis concept

59 (31%)

25-38%

   The certainty of cardiac arrest within hours or days

14 (7%)

4-12%

   Further care is futile and/or degrading

53 (28%)

22-34%

Restatement of loss of brain function (the criterion)

169 (88%)

83-92%

   Irreversible loss of the function of the entire brain/brainstem

140 (73%)

66-79%

   Irreversible loss of the critical functions of the entire brain/brainstem

105 (55%)

48-62%

   Irreversible destruction of the brain, including the brainstem

109 (57%)

50-64%

Irreversible loss of the capacity for consciousness plus irreversible loss of the capacity to breathe

83 (43%)

36-50%

Cessation of the vital work of the organism

22 (12%)

8-17%

  1. The exact question asked was as follows: "Which of the following is/are an acceptable conceptual reason to explain why 'brain death' is equivalent to 'death'?." Respondents could choose more than one answer; each answer had to be "a stand-alone reason." The standard medical, ethical, and legal conceptual reason is: the irreversible loss of the integration of body functions by the brain [1–4, 10, 11].