question about the brain and death
 

i am a psychology student in college and i hope to study cognitive neuroscience in grad school. i have recently become very interested in death and have begun to ponder what occurs in the brain during the process of death (that is, as a starting point, what occurs within the brain, within the mind of an individual, who is dying of age related causes and not disease) and what happens in the brain (what chemicals and activities) at the moment of and just before death.I have been wondering if such a study is even possible, or if mainstream science would consider such a study viable...i can see some great implications such as a more appropriate definition of death so that cases such as that with Terry Chiavo never happen again.

Re: question about the brain and death
 

This past year I read a very interesting book called What Happens When We Die?: A Groundbreaking Study into the Nature of Life and Death by Sam Parnia

In my opinion this book does not really attempt to answer that question as much as it reviews the current theories and knowledge about death and approaching death. I think this book is an attempt by the author to raise funds for his continuing research into this question. In any case, it is still a very interesting book and may answer some of your questions. It is also written in any interesting easy to read style. Good luck with your search for knowledge.