# Gun based suicide Temple vs Mouth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-based-suicide-temple-vs-mouth/631605>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 15, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-based-suicide-temple-vs-mouth/631605 "2012-08-15T20:57:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 15

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**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\
**Post date:** [August 16, 2012, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gun-based-suicide-temple-vs-mouth/631605/15 "2012-08-16T08:51:25Z")

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> [@jz78817](#):
>
> aimed properly, the mouth shot will put the bullet through your brain stem.

This. And, even if not aimed “properly”, a gun in the mouth will almost certainly ping the brain stem, or a good part of it. Since the brain stem is densely packed with various connections and control centres, _any_ injury to it is life-threatening.

For those not too familiar with neuroanatomy, the [brainstem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_stem) is the densely packed, compact part of the brain through which every connection to and from the brain travels, and i[n which are located centres for control of breathing and other basic life functions](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medulla_oblongata#Functions).

It is also worth mentioning that [consciousness resides in the brain stem](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reticular_Formation), or at least depends on an intact brain stem. In other words, you will be unconscious the instant the brain stem is hit (either directly by the bullet or a bone fragment, or torn apart by the tremendous shock and pressure waves generated by the gunshot).

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