Panda_ca

Yeah, I agree with Tom. There are multiple levels of appeal of music for the human brain. The effects of music on the brain have also been shown to aid in brain function such as memory and recall. To get back to the root of the thread, I think that music is an invention, like the wheel, that we created. We did not evolve with an innate sense to create and appreciate music. I think rather we created music, that plays perfectly on our primal brain and other psychological factors.

Great question. I agree with iNow, there are just too many factors to count. What about the fact that our brains shrink .25% in mass each year after age 30? The effects of this shrinking surely effect how long the brain would be viable. What about the body? What condition is the body in? age? A younger body might encourage the brain to grow where as the opposite might be true of an older body. Potentially with the right mix of hormones and a readily available source of nutrients, the brain could go on indefinitely.

Here's a good list of brain parts and functions.