When the Brain Dies First, written by Margaret O. Hyde and John F. Setaro, M.D., is a detailed book about the brain and what happens when it dies before the other organs. The brain is a 3.5 pound organ that controls everything from walking to breathing. When the brain dies before the rest of the body, the person is pronounced brain dead. But how is a person brain dead? Certain diseases can slowly deteriorate the brain until it is gone. Diseases such as Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Huntingtons, and other degenerative disease slowly kill the brain. In some cases, you can manage the symptoms of the diseases, but there is still no cure. An approach some doctors are taking is removing half the brain. By removing the left or right hemisphere, the symptoms
