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From: scw@cepu.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: Karen Ann Quinlans Birthday
Message-ID: <236@cepu.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Apr-84 08:19:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: cepu.236
Posted: Fri Apr 27 08:19:59 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Apr-84 07:12:28 EDT
References: <2724@azure.UUCP>
Organization: VA Wadsworth Med. Center, LA CA
Lines: 23

>Does anybody know what caused Karen Ann Quinlan to lose consciousness
>following a friend's birthday party in 1975?????

An overdose of alcohol.

>What state is her brain in?  Does she have what is typically
>termed as "brain death"?

Non active, yes.

>Has she ever shown ANY sign of brain activity since 1975, when
>she went comatose?

Apparently only the autonomic nervious system (brain stem) is still functional.
The higher sections (cortex) are inactive.

Any details will be appreciated.

This is from memory, (Newsweek was the source as I recall).
-- 
Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology)
uucp:	{ {ihnp4, uiucdcs}!bradley, hao, trwrb, sdcsvax!bmcg}!cepu!scw
ARPA: cepu!scw@ucla-locus       location: N 34 06'37" W 118 25'43"