If a person is classified as braindead can they still hear?

[xLilacFairyx]

My uncle has had a massive stroke, subsequent siezures, clots, fluid on brain and pneumonia. He had a Cranieotomy on Friday one day after the stroke, and all of the above happened thereafter. He has been certified as clinically having more than 60% os his brain function left, however I have been told that he is now dying. If his brain is ceasing to function, can he still hear people talking? Mum said he was practically brain dead last night and family were visiting him at the hospital. I just wondered if he'd still be able to hear people?

Tks
LF

[daffy654]

There is some thought in the medical community that the hearing is one of the last senses to go before death. If it were my relative I would talk to him anyway, just in case he could still hear.

[Sqad]

Depends on what you mean by "brain dead" as I would guess that, from what you say, he is in deep coma.
Hearing is one of the last senses to go, depending upon which part of the brain is affected........so YES........he could still hear.

[jake-the-peg]

Not an expert on this but I have heard that hearing is the very last sense to go.

However whether he still has the ability to comprehend what he hears might be depend on the nature of the damage - if the area of the brain that deals with language is damaged he may be able to hear but not not make sense of anything

[Old_Geezer]

As I understand it braindead is the phrase used to be explicit about the person being dead. If they have 60% still active he is not in that state yet. I dont think anyone can be sure for a particular individual but I think you may as well assume he can hear until he has no brain activity left. (And depending on your religious/spiritual believes maybe even after that - but I guess that's a different issue.)

[xLilacFairyx]

My uncle had his ventilator switched off tonight. Very sad, He had all family around him so was kepy cosy by love.

A lovely, lovely man,

Thanks for your comments earlier,
LF

[jake-the-peg]

Sorry to hear that - but I guess there's a right time for these things.

When you get to a point like that where there's no coming back you wouldn't want to hang about

[boxtops]

So sorry, lilac - our thoughts are with your family ♥