Halakhah for Oholot 1:7
הָאֵבָרִין אֵין לָהֶן שִׁעוּר, אֲפִלּוּ פָּחוֹת מִכַּזַּיִת מִן הַמֵּת, וּפָחוֹת מִכַּזַּיִת מִן הַנְּבֵלָה, וּפָחוֹת מִכָּעֲדָשָׁה מִן הַשֶּׁרֶץ, מְטַמְּאִין טֻמְאָתָן:
Limbs have no measure; even less than an olive's measure from a dead body, or less than an olive's measure from a dead animal, or less than a lentil's measure from a vermin - they impurify their impurity.
Care of the Critically Ill
The Rambam in his commentary on Mishnah Oholot 1:7 defines the "halachic brain" as the control center for bodily movements. The hypothalamus is not part of the halachic brain, but rather a secretory tissue, no different from other glands of the body which secrete hormones. It does not control the body's motion. Upon death many parts of the body remain viable for various lengths of time without affecting the decision to declare the patient dead.
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