Scientists Explain Brain Freeze Headaches

Posted on April 26, 2012

Scientists at Harvard Medical School and National University of Ireland in Galway have conducted research to determine what causes brain freeze. Brain freeze can occur when a frozen treat, such as ice cream, or an ice cold drink hits the upper palate. The researchers found that the sudden "brain freeze" headache is triggered by an abrupt increase in blood flow in the anterior cerebral artery. Because the human skull is a closed structure, this sudden influx of blood could raise pressure inside the skull and induce pain.

The researchers monitored brain freeze in 13 healthy volunteers. The researchers monitored the volunteers' blood flow in several brain arteries using transcranial Doppler while they first sipped ice water with the straw pressed against their upper palate - ideal conditions for bringing on brain freeze - and then while sipping the same amount of water at room temperature. The volunteers raised their hand once they felt the pain of a brain freeze, then raised it again once the pain dissipated. Findings showed that one particular artery, called the anterior cerebral artery, dilated rapidly and flooded the brain with blood in conjunction to when the volunteers felt pain. Soon after this dilation occurred, the same vessel constricted as the volunteers' pain receded.

NMA News animated the study. Take a look:

Jorge Serrador of Harvard Medical School, the leader of the study, and his colleagues speculate that the dilation, followed by quick constriction, could be a form of self-defense for the brain.

Serrador says, "The brain is one of the relatively important organs in the body, and it needs to be working all the time. It's fairly sensitive to temperature, so vasodilation might be moving warm blood inside tissue to make sure the brain stays warm."

The researchers hope their research could be a step toward beneficial treatments for migraine sufferers.

The brain freeze study, "Cerebral Vascular Blood Flow Changes During 'Brain Freeze'" was discussed at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting. The research article can be found here in The FASEB Journal.

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