Though the brains did not show signs of regaining consciousness, they still regained or preserved some amount of cellular function, according to the study, reported in Nature. The brains’ blood vessels began flowing with a blood substitute; some brain cells regained their metabolic activity and even responded to drugs. (New York Times, Nature)

Talking point: That researchers were able to recover parts of the brain after death challenges conventional ideas of what distinguishes the living from the dead. Until now, it was assumed that after cutting off its blood supply, the brain declines rapidly and irreversibly unless blood is quickly restored. This work is still in its early stages, and doesn’t yet have any immediate implications for treating human brain injuries. However, it does show that human brain resuscitation, though it may be years off, can be a possibility.