• Question: Do you no what it feels like to feel a brain

    Asked by cianjw to Joe, Juan, Kate, Rory, Rosie on 7 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by nisara.
    • Photo: Kate Salmon

      Kate Salmon answered on 7 Mar 2014:

      I like this question! I personally have never felt a brain but I’m pretty sure you can go to the local butchers and ask to feel an animal brain if you want to see how squigy it is!

    • Photo: Juan Carlos Lopez-Baez

      Juan Carlos Lopez-Baez answered on 8 Mar 2014:

      Hi Cian

      Like Kate, unfortunately I have never felt a brain (but if I ever get the chance I will let you know!). I have looked online and I have found a neurosurgeon (that’s a doctor that operates on the brain) that describes it as having the texture of tofu: soft and delicate, but still hard enough to maintain its shape. It is because of this fragility that it needs to be well protected (the skull is a remarkable strong structure!).

      Did you know that the brain itself cannot feel pain? It doesn’t have pain receptors, which means that in some cases surgeons can operate in someone’s brain while the patient is still awake. This is very useful when operating certain parts of the brain, as it allows the doctors to make sure that they don’t affect any important areas of the brain that could affect your speech or your movements.

    • Photo: Joe Sweeney

      Joe Sweeney answered on 10 Mar 2014:

      I do! I did it in an experiment when I was a student (when the demonstrator isn’t looking…). It feels a bit like silly putty: when you push your finger in it’s soft but resistant. Though it doesn’t get its shape back, like putty

Comments