Turns out brains are hotter than we thought! New research shows that healthy brains can get as hot as 40.9 degrees celsius without issue.
Scientists say they’re finally able to map out healthy people’s brain temperatures, bringing us one step closer to the ability to diagnose brain disorders through temperature fluctuations, and hopefully enhancing existing treatments.
A new study conducted in the UK by the Medical Research Council (MRC) reviewed brain temperature data from two groups of individuals: intensive care patients with brain trauma, and healthy volunteers.
The study reportedly debunked a number of long-formed assumptions, including the idea that hotter brains face higher risks of medical complications. According to research results, the brain temperatures of healthy volunteers could actually reach as high as 105.62 degrees Fahrenheit (40.9 degrees Celsius) with no apparent issues.
In intensive care patients, there was also no direct correlation found between higher brain temperatures and the likelihood of survival. What researchers did find, however, was a correlation between an individual’s brain temperature fluctuations throughout the day, and their overall health.
“We found that brain temperature drops at night before you go to sleep and rises during the day,” explains John O’Neill, the publisher of the study. “There is good reason to believe this daily variation is associated with long-term brain health — something we hope to investigate next.”
If this theory turns out to be true, researchers say it might lead to more efficient and accurate brain disorder diagnoses. In turn, this may also improve existing mental health treatments. Hooray for science!
