# How long, after death, will human muscle tissue stop responding to artificial stimuli **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 11, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819 "2000-04-11T05:43:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sentinel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@Sentinel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sentinel)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819/1 "2000-04-11T05:43:00Z")
Gross question, right? It happened to come to me after watching that gory Sci-fi flick VIRUS, where an alien program infects a Russian ship’s computer, which then creates intelligent robots, which use human body parts to augment their resources. We all know that detached muscle tissue will respond to electric shock for some time after death but how many hours before it stops responding? When rigor mortuus sets in? After rigor breaks down? Without any special conditions like being kept in a cold environment or saline solution to prolong viability – like they do with transplants. Neural tissue goes more quickly, like the brain and major nerve trunks. Muscles are tougher though and differently constructed. * * * **Some mornings, it’s just not worth chewing through the leather straps.** ---
**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819/2 "2000-04-11T08:47:00Z")
Why?What are you planning? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Byzantine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@Byzantine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Byzantine)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819/3 "2000-04-11T08:50:00Z")
His own death. Hopefully. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819/4 "2000-04-11T14:58:00Z")
I assume as long as rigor doesn’t set in, and as long as decomposition doesn’t happen, the muscles will respond. But maybe you need lactic acid in the muscles to act as a conductor. So I don’t know. * * * A little persistance goes a long way. Announcing: “I go on guilt trips a couple of time a year. Mom books them for me.” A custom made Wally .sig! ---
**Author:** ![Pixoid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pixoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixoid)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819/5 "2000-04-11T16:03:00Z")
MPSIMS? I was thinking a GQ, myself… * * * My classes are optional. So is graduating. (Get your Sig by Wally today!) ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2000, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-after-death-will-human-muscle-tissue-stop-responding-to-artificial-stimuli/15819/6 "2000-04-11T22:06:00Z")
Lactic acid is a waste product when muscles work in an anerobic state, not an electrolyte. The alien was probably able to pump oxygenated blood and gluycose through the arteries and filter out waste.