| Date | May 2010 | Marks available | 6 | Reference code | 10M.3.HL.TZ1.6 |
| Level | Higher level | Paper | Paper 3 | Time zone | Time zone 1 |
| Command term | Discuss | Question number | 6 | Adapted from | N/A |
Question
Discuss the concept of brain death and how it can be diagnosed.
Markscheme
it is a legal/medical definition of death;
some cases of coma are irreversible / some cases of coma may recover;
damage in the medulla (oblongata) is generally permanent;
doctors have to diagnose damage to decide treatment;
use tests of brain stem function to decide whether to preserve patient’s life / without brain stem function life cannot continue;
test pupil reflex / shine light into eye;
if pupils do not constrict with light this suggests brain death;
more than one test used to diagnose brain death;
no response to pain or cranial reflexes;
legal/ethical definition needed for organ donation / long term use of life-support machines may be inappropriate / bioethical considerations;
Examiners report
Many candidates were able to get two marks for correctly describing the pupil reflex and its role in determining brain death. However, they were seldom able to obtain more than that as detail was lacking.
