[katieHaylor (OP)]

Here's a spooky halloween head scratcher for you -

In the 1940s, there was a chicken that survived 18 months without a head. How long could a human survive without a head?

What do you think?

[alancalverd]

In principle you could short-circuit the blood supply and keep the body ticking over for as long as you supply nutrients. Breathing is not entirely autonomic but no problem using a ventilator or extracorporeal blood oxygenator. However the usual reason for decapitating humans is to kill them as quickly as possible.

That said, at least one US President was re-elected without a brain.

[Peter Spicer]

I believe the headless chicken also had somewhat of a political career. Maybe there is something in that.

[RD]

... the usual reason for decapitating humans is to kill them as quickly as possible ...

Or head-transplant ... http://observer.com/2017/04/dr-sergio-canavero-head-transplant/

[Zer0]

Due to the blunt characteristic nature of the Question asked, it might have two separate distinctive answers as follows :
                           Human = Head + Body.

Most tissues and organs of the body can survive clinical death for considerable periods. Blood circulation can be stopped in the entire body below the heart for at least 30 minutes, with injury to the spinal cord being a limiting factor.

Detached limbs may be successfully reattached after 6 hours of no blood circulation at warm temperatures. Bone, tendon, and skin can survive as long as 8 to 12 hours.

The brain, however, appears to accumulate ischemic injury faster than any other organ. Without special treatment after circulation is restarted, full recovery of the brain after more than 3 minutes of clinical death at normal body temperature is rare.

Usually brain damage or later brain death results after longer intervals of clinical death even if the heart is restarted and blood circulation is successfully restored. Brain injury is therefore the chief limiting factor for recovery from clinical death.

Although loss of function is almost immediate, there is no specific duration of clinical death at which the nonfunctional brain clearly dies.
The most vulnerable cells in the brain, CA1 neurons of the hippocampus, are fatally injured by as little as 10 minutes without oxygen. However, the injured cells do not actually die until hours after resuscitation. This delayed death can be prevented in vitro by a simple drug treatment even after 20 minutes without oxygen.

In other areas of the brain, viable human neurons have been recovered and grown in culture hours after clinical death. Brain failure after clinical death is now known to be due to a complex series of processes called reperfusion injury that occur after blood circulation has been restored, especially processes that interfere with blood circulation during the recovery period. Control of these processes is the subject of ongoing research.

So, how long could a human survive without a head?
Apparently not long enough.

(Source of Info/Data - Clinical Death/Wiki).

[Zer0]

Clarifications on the Subject in discussion.

It was determined that the axe had missed the jugular vein and a clot had prevented Mike from bleeding to death. Although most of his head was severed, most of his brain stem and one ear were left on his body.
Since basic functions (breathing, heart rate, etc.) as well as most of a chicken's reflex actions are controlled by the brain stem, Mike was able to remain quite healthy.
This is a good example of central motor generators enabling basic homeostatic functions to be carried out in the absence of higher brain centres.

Mike the Headless Chicken
(April 20, 1945 – March 17, 1947)
also known as Miracle Mike.
Cockadoodledooo! 🐓
R.I.P.

(Source - Wikipedia).

[Zer0]

Scattered thoughts on comments posted.

When I go for a kidney transplant, I become the Recipient whereas the person giving away the kidney becomes the Donor.
Similarly when I opt for a completely new set of organs, technically it should fall under the category of a Full Body Transplant.
(I know nothing grabs attention better than the term head transplant but still).
👺
Regarding comments on EPOTUS, the (E) is of prime importance.
E = Elected.
Quote - "The Wise they say, Don't Judge".
Peace!
✌

[B-4]

It was said that during the French revolution many people were asked to blink and try to communicate after their head was severed by guillotine, some would respond for up to 30 seconds after the chop, it has been recently published that the brain can become more active and the person more aware of their surroundings after the heart stops from heart attack, could the same be true after decapitation?

Viva la revolución!

[Tanny]

A local variant on the question...

How long can a forum survive without it's owners?

[chris]

A local variant on the question...

How long can a forum survive without it's owners?

Are you trying to get rid of me then?!

[chris]

some would respond for up to 30 seconds after the chop

This sounds iffy to me; I think it's more likely than not that any movements observed like this on a severed head would be reflex responses and spurious residual electrical activity rather than anything volitional and conscious.

[Tanny]

Are you trying to get rid of me then?!

To the contrary!  Trying to find you, and the mechanism I chose appears to be highly efficient.  :-)  I'll PM so as to not further interrupt this thread.

[katieHaylor (OP)]

This question has now been answered. You can listen to it via our website - https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/questions/qotw-how-long-could-we-survive-without-head

[eyecarebuchner]

this is amazingly interesting. 

[petelamana]

I would think that depends upon where and how the head is removed.  If it is removed cleanly, above the medulla oblongata then the body can continue.  How long?  I don't know.