Machado C. Jahi McMath case: A comprehensive and updated narrative. World J Crit Care Med 2025; 14(3): 107513 [DOI: 10.5492/wjccm.v14.i3.107513]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Calixto Machado, MD, PhD, Academic Fellow, Clinical Assistant Professor (Honorary), Consultant, Emeritus Professor, Full Professor, Honorary Research Fellow, Lecturer, President, Professor, Professor Emeritus, Senior Scientist, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, 29 y D, Vedado, Havana 10400, Cuba. cmachado180652@gmail.com
Research Domain of This Article
Neurosciences
Article-Type of This Article
Minireviews
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
World J Crit Care Med. Sep 9, 2025; 14(3): 107513 Published online Sep 9, 2025. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v14.i3.107513
Jahi McMath case: A comprehensive and updated narrative
Calixto Machado
Calixto Machado, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Havana 10400, Cuba
Author contributions: Machado C conceived the original idea for the study, conducted the primary research, performed the data analysis, and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. As the sole and corresponding author, he also coordinated all aspects of the work, managed the revisions, and oversaw the submission and communication process with the journal.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The author reports no conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Calixto Machado, MD, PhD, Academic Fellow, Clinical Assistant Professor (Honorary), Consultant, Emeritus Professor, Full Professor, Honorary Research Fellow, Lecturer, President, Professor, Professor Emeritus, Senior Scientist, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, 29 y D, Vedado, Havana 10400, Cuba. cmachado180652@gmail.com
Received: March 25, 2025 Revised: April 6, 2025 Accepted: May 21, 2025 Published online: September 9, 2025 Processing time: 115 Days and 20.2 Hours
Abstract
The Jahi McMath case represents a pivotal moment in the reevaluation of brain death or death by neurological criteria (BD/DNC) and disorders of consciousness. Declared brain dead on December 12, 2013, following surgical complications, Jahi’s case became a landmark in challenging conventional BD/DNC definitions. As an independent consultant for the International Brain Research Foundation, I recommended advanced ancillary tests, including neuroimaging, electrophysiological, and heart rate variability assessments, conducted at Rutgers University Hospital and Jahi’s apartment in New Jersey. My analyses revealed unprecedented findings: Significant preservation of intracranial structures, including the upper brainstem, despite extensive white matter damage and partial herniation. I identified residual cognitive processing and autonomic responses, which suggested a novel disorder of consciousness distinct from both BD/DNC, the unresponsive unawareness syndrome, the minimally conscious state, and the locked-in syndrome. These insights, reinforced by complementary evaluations by Dr. Alan Shewmon, who later documented Jahi’s purposeful responses to commands by videos analysis, contributed to reshaping the discourse on consciousness disorders. Despite initial resistance from the scientific community, my findings during September 2014 were eventually published, presenting the first detailed anatomical and functional analysis of Jahi’s condition. The Jahi McMath case underscores the need for advanced diagnostics, multidisciplinary collaboration, and a nuanced understanding of consciousness. This case has significant implications for the medical and legal communities, particularly in defining and diagnosing BD/DNC and studying disorders of consciousness. The novel disorder of consciousness might be integrated into existing diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols for BD/DNC and in classifying disorders of consciousness. It remains a cornerstone for future research and challenges in defining and diagnosing BD/DNC.
Core Tip: This study provides groundbreaking insights into the case of Jahi McMath, identifying a novel disorder of consciousness distinct from brain death or a minimally conscious state. The findings highlight the necessity of advanced diagnostics and multidisciplinary collaboration for refining neurological criteria and enhancing patient care in complex cases.
