Does the brain live long after breathing stops?

Brain death: No. Just a few minutes. Severe damage in 4 minutes; brain death in 6-8. Factors that affect the outcome are the body temperature at the time of lack of oxygen, whether all or just part of the brain went without oxygen, whether there is any vascular disease, whether there is any continuing damage from the cause of the lack of oxygen (eg. Carbon monoxide poisoning), and how quick oxygen was restored.