If the head is severed from the body will there be moments of consciousness before the brain dies?

Question

If we go back to the French revolution when people were put to the guillotine the head was severed quickly and cleanly. Is it possible that consciousness would be maintained even for a few moments? Would the unfortunate person feel the thud as his head hit the bottom of the bucket or still be able to see the sky and 'know' what had happened?
Or would death be absolutely instantaneous?

Answer 1

There was a nobleman who was also a scientist caught up in the terror. When he realised that he was to be executed on the Guillotine, he arranged an experiment with his friends.

He asked them to attend the execution, and told them that he would blink his eyes for as long as possible, and they were to time it.

Consequently his friends attended and reported that their friends eyes kept on blinking for up to 10 seconds after his head was cut from his body.

The following report was written by a Dr. Beaurieux, who experimented with the head of a condemned prisoner by the name of Henri Languille, on June 28, 1905

“ Here, then, is what I was able to note immediately after the decapitation: the eyelids and lips of the guillotined man worked in irregularly rhythmic contractions for about five or six seconds. This phenomenon has been remarked by all those finding themselves in the same conditions as myself for observing what happens after the severing of the neck...

I waited for several seconds. The spasmodic movements ceased. [...] It was then that I called in a strong, sharp voice: 'Languille!' I saw the eyelids slowly lift up, without any spasmodic contractions – I insist advisedly on this peculiarity – but with an even movement, quite distinct and normal, such as happens in everyday life, with people awakened or torn from their thoughts.

Next Languille's eyes very definitely fixed themselves on mine and the pupils focused themselves. I was not, then, dealing with the sort of vague dull look without any expression, that can be observed any day in dying people to whom one speaks: I was dealing with undeniably living eyes which were looking at me. After several seconds, the eyelids closed again[...].

It was at that point that I called out again and, once more, without any spasm, slowly, the eyelids lifted and undeniably living eyes fixed themselves on mine with perhaps even more penetration than the first time. Then there was a further closing of the eyelids, but now less complete. I attempted the effect of a third call; there was no further movement – and the eyes took on the glazed look which they have in the dead.

Answer 2

The question you are asking had once came into the minds of philosophers and physicians alike and was then a debate when the guillotine use was still new.

"Does the head retain consciousness after decapitation?" was once the query on debate with the use of guillotine.

Scholars of medicine and surgery had then conducted various experiments to find out an answer .

>> French anatomy professor Dr. Séguret conducted experiments on the effects of the guillotine. Some of his experiments included: exposing the eyes of two heads to sunlight in which the eyes promptly shut, pricking the exposed tongue of a victim and seeing it withdraw into the mouth, and witnessing the eyes of one victim follow the voice of whomever was talking for more than fifteen minutes.

>>Dr. Dassy de Ligniéres pumped blood from a living dog into a decapitated head and found that for a few moments the lips quivered and the eyes twitched.

>>Dr. Beaurieux, in 1905, experimented with the head of a recently executed prisoner. In calling the deceased’s name, the head slowly opened its eyes and the pupils focused. The eyes closed and again his name was called, “Languille!” Once again the motions were repeated and the eyes fixed themselves on the doctor. A third attempt was made with no more movement. The whole thing is said to have lasted twenty-five to thirty seconds.

Their experiments proved that life could still hold on for an unknown amount of time after the head had been severed from the body.

Looking back on physiology, brain death will essentially occur from lack of oxygen supply. If beheading is done pretty quick, though there is abrupt abortion of blood supply + massive loss of blood, there will still be "some amount of blood" within the cut off head.

The brain would be still be able to use the remaining oxygen in the head which will be sufficient enough to retain awareness for at least a few seconds. So to say, indeed there will be few moments of consciousness and as the process is "quick as lightning" there is a possibility that the victim will feel some sort of pain for a moment and be aware that his head has been on a basket. But considering that the process is extremely shocking, the victim could also just die from shock without knowing what happened on that briefest period of the last moments in his life.

Answer 3

Have thought of a way you might sort this out. With the head severed from the body, the cranial nerves that control movement in the muscles of the face should still work as long as the cut is low enough below the brainstem. Cutting through the spinal cord shouldn't affect this.

If my head was cut off and I was still alert I reckon that I would be making some pretty intense facial expressions. Speech would not be possible as there would be no vocal cord action. If I was unconscious I would probably not be doing anything. I'm not volunteering myself, but next time you cut somebody's head off see if you can get them to pull a face at you.

Answer 4

head severed body moments consciousness brain dies

Answer 5

i wouldn't think so because it would sever several major arteries and of course the spinal cord. there would be no blood "pumped" into the brain causing instant death although several smaller nerves may be active causing twitches that make them to still appear to be alive (happens a lot with people who are shot in the head as well).

but as many history buffs know, the guillotine hardly ever severed heads "quickly and cleanly". many times they had to do it several times in order for the head to sever. in that case, i do imagine there were moments of pain.

Answer 6

Death would be instantaneous but there could be some involuntary movements of the face, eg eyelids or lips can continue to move for some seconds.

Answer 7

According to tv programmes on discovery, there have been occasions where the axe man has reported the lips moving and the eyes blinking for several seconds after the head dropped into the basket.

Answer 8

ooh. Doesn't bear thinking about does it.
I hope its instant, but the possibilities are awesome. I am wondering about the pain, would u feel any. I have this horrible feeling u might have a few moments of knowing.
Would u be able to say anything. Arrrrrgh!

Answer 9

The brain should be active momentarily. I won't be able to tell you for how may or what fraction of a second. I have seen a chickens head being chopped off and saw the eyes blink thereafter.

Answer 10

I would imagine that the shear fright, and shock,would be as people that are suddenly in the midst of a violent crash, time would slow down for the alert, and be blurred to the dull unattentive, who never suspect their surroundings. Then there are those that have head in as$ syndrome, and are already brain dead!