Brains mysteriously preserved for more than 12 thousand years are found

A team of researchers from the University of Oxford in England carried out the largest study to date on preserved human brains and gathered more than 4 thousand preserved brains , many over 12 thousand years old. Of these, 1,300 brains were the only soft tissue (which are not skeletons) preserved . The findings were published this Wednesday (20), in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

O study raises questions about why the brain can remain preserved for thousands of years while other organs are decomposed. However, the mechanism behind this preservation is still unknown. Researchers believe that molecular crosslinking (network of molecules) and metal complexation (proteins and lipids that fuse in the presence of elements such as iron or copper) may be viable mechanisms for preserving nervous tissues for such a long time.

“In the forensic field, it is well known that the brain is one of the first organs to decompose after death – but this huge archive clearly demonstrates that there are certain circumstances in which it survives. Whether these circumstances are environmental or related to the unique biochemistry of the brain is the focus of our current and future work,” says Alexandra Morton-Hayward, lead author of the study.

“We are finding surprising numbers and types of ancient biomolecules preserved in these archaeological brains, and it is exciting to explore everything they can tell us about life and death in our ancestors.”

The current study can provide new and unique information about the history of humanity helping to understand health and ancient diseases, as well as the evolution of human cognition and behavior.

Many of the brains researchers found were found in records dating back to the mid-17th century, and tissue has been found in all types of individuals: from Egyptian and Korean royalty, to monks and Danes, to Arctic explorers and victims of war.

Each brain found in the database was compared with historical climate data from the same area, to explore trends in when and where they were found. The analyzes showed patterns in environmental conditions associated with different modes of preservation, including dehydration, freezing, saponification (transformation of fats into “waxes”) and tanning (generally with peat, a partially decomposed material of plant origin found in layers , generally in swampy regions).