[dragonwriter]

> Brains still operate as brains after severe trauma

Well, except when they don't, but since a brain functioning as a brain is part of the operating requirements for the body that lets the brain operate at all, when they don't, they ultimately fail entirely in short order.

So, assuming that a brain generally operates as a brain after severe trauma is a pretty serious case of survivorship bias.

[kaba0]

Brains do have plenty of “backup systems”. Like emotions, stress etc do have an effect on the whole body, spinal reflexes are not affected as much and you will likely not fall over just because of extreme stress or whatever. There are similarly many many more “primitive” systems in place, like you will continue to take breaths even at “shutdown”.