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About Florence M Rollwagen
Expertise
I can answer questions in biology, microbiology and immunology on the undergraduate or graduate level. I can also address medical and health concerns regarding alternative medicine, autoimmune diseases (lupus, MS) liver disease and intestinal problems.

Experience
I have over 20 years experience in research and teaching at the medical/graduate level, and 5 years teaching college biology and microbiology. My expertise is in microbiology and immunology, specifically the biology of cytokines and soluble immune response modifiers. I also carried out original research in blood substitutes and shock/trauma.

Organizations
American Association of Immunologists (AAI) American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Publications
Journal of Experimental Medicine, Journal of Immunology, Cytokine, Shock, Experimental Hematology

Education/Credentials
BS biology 1966 MS biology 1968 PhD immunology 1979

 
   

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Biology - biology


Expert: Florence M Rollwagen - 6/29/2009

Question
when human dies,which dies first, heart or mind

Answer
Hi Gosoon:  Thanks for your question.  When you say "die" do you mean loss of awareness?

What I mean is that people can be rescued from a stopped heart.  This is called cardiopulmonary resuscitation.  It happens all the time.

When the brain dies, the electrical impulses cease.  This is called a "flat line" because no pulses are coming from the brain.

Most physicians and scientists in the West use brain death as "death" because sometimes the heart can be re-started.

As for "mind" there are plenty of people whose brains are inactive (coma, dementia, etc), but their bodies are still living.  It is a very tough call to decide if these people are "alive" or "dead"

I hope this answers your question.  Please write back if you need more information.

FM Rollwagen, PhD

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