Neurosurgeon Answers Brain Surgery Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

It's not brain surgery! Well, actually, it is! Neurosurgeon Brian Kopell answers the internet's burning questions about brain surgery. What's harder, rocket science or brain surgery? Do you have to be AWAKE during brain surgery? What part of the brain remembers the Jurassic Park theme song? Brian answers all these questions and much more!
Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey
Director of Photography: Constantine Economides
Editor: Richard Trammell
Expert: Dr. Brian Kopell
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas
Production Manager: Eric Martinez
Production Coordinator: Fernando Davila
Camera Operator: Rahil Ashruff
Audio: Gabe Quiroga
Production Assistant: Patrick Sargent
Post Production Supervisor: Alexa Deutsch
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
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[@godlycat4819]

Find it funny how brain surgeons are the only people that consider it to be inconvenient that your brain is inside a safe box

[@nicolaspeigne1429]

Just like robbers find it inconvenient that banks have safes

[@c.jishnu378]

​@@nicolaspeigne1429 They robbing my iq 💀.

[@IceMetalPunk]

Same! 😂 I was like, "um, I think that's pretty convenient, thanks, and so does evolution" 😅

[@GrayVMhan]

​@@IceMetalPunkWhenever you're in need of a brain surgeon the skull is more an issue

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@GrayVMhan Which happens far less often than when I need to not have my brain squished 😂

[@dalestaley5637]

I'm an anesthetist and have done these cases where our patients are aware. We've had guitar playing, all the activities he's described. It's an amazing day when you're assigned for these. I love neurosurgery cases.

[@frigzy3748]

Do they have to make all those guitars/gaming PCs completely sterile?

[@user-ru1ki]

I'm sorry, what is the difference between anesthetist and anesthesiologist ? Is anesthetist the one who deals with a local and light anesthesias ?

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@user-ru1ki An anesthetist doesn't need to be a doctor, they can be a nurse or other medical professional. Anesthesiologists are doctors.

[@user-ru1ki]

@@IceMetalPunk I know what anaesthesiologist is, I'm in a medical field myself. We don't have anaesthetists here.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@user-ru1ki Okay... you asked what the difference was, so I contrasted them for you.

[@oliviaakya]

This man's name is Brian. That's perfect.

[@macherie1234]

I transcribed reports for a neurosurgeon named Brian. I had to carefully check that I didn't write his name as Brain. Every time.

[@samsowden]

Because he's rearranging brains?

[@starflyer3219]

You can"t say Brian without saying brain

[@rylinhansen9019]

​@@starflyer3219speak for yourself! 🤨

[@julius333333]

Brian Surgeon

[@ZorinZato]

His little grin at “RockCock” made me realize that despite him being a neurosurgeon, this guy and I aren’t so different after all lol

[@WastedTalent83]

men are men.. no matter the job they do.

[@matthewmartin5763]

I think he was doing a BioDome (Pauly Shore) reference @ 16:17

[@minetruly]

This is weirdly wholesome ♥️

[@shwetankp1603]

Rockcock69 would have been a great username 😂

[@dannyboots]

Rawk Hawk

[@tbcfrankee]

I'll never forget going to a neurosurgery conference as a medical student. There was a training and we went into a lab room with like 15 heads on top of each table. I asked the neurosurgeons how they made such realistic head models. They laughed at me and started sawing.

[@MothNeo]

that’s the most ominous thing ever i would have started sweating in fear 😭

[@SheilaPatterson]

@@MothNeoany other scenario this would be illegal😂

[@mix_six_family]

44 times your cranium was opened?!

[@melissagallagherr]

I've had 44 brain surgeries and the same surgeon since I was 8, I'm now 31 and forever grateful to her for saving my life time and time again. She's taught me about brain surgery and my own illnesses ( chiari malformation, idiopathic intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalus with a vp shunt) everything regarding this field has fascinated me for as long as I remember and I'm grateful that even as a child my surgeon taught me so much about her job!

[@mrs_hopfrog]

@melissagallagherr I have Chiari malformation too. Had Brain surgery in 2002 at UCLA in So. Ca. My Dr. was very good . Hope you are doing well , 💜💜💜🙏

[@melissagallagherr]

@mrs_hopfrog oh I had my first surgery in 2002 but over here in Scotland. I'm much better thank you I hope you're doing well too 🥰

[@1rstTry]

Please don’t breed

[@Kreawilliams]

I had brain surgery AVM AV malformation… 2 strokes and 4 aneurysms…my neurosurgeon saved my life… Im him forever grateful ❤ Hopefully you both doing okay 🌺🌸

[@SonaaraBendera]

I have hydrocephalus with a Codman Haikem valve ! i used to have a VP shunt for 12 years (since i was 8 as well!) but had complications with it and my new neurosurgeon suggested a valve with more setting and i was fine for about a year. now i’m back to square one with figuring out what’s wrong. GURL 44 brain surgeries is crazy, i don’t even have that many. i hope you are doing so well now and no more complications for a really long time. thank goodness for modern medicine and technology for us unique brain folks!

[@Bear_Andersen]

I'd think the only person who can truly answer the "which is harder" question would be someone who has experience and expertise in both fields. And I wonder if such a person even exists.

[@absta1995]

I'd say neuroscience is harder as you're dealing with living things which are inherently unpredictable compared to the logic of engineering subjects. But I'm biased as a PhD in neuro

[@strikechord]

Nah neurosurgery is definitely harder. I study aerospace engineering. The applied math behind a rocket might be extremely complex, neurosurgery needs so much more attention and care. Engineers can account for factors of safety and have a margin of error, but neurosurgeons cannot do that, and a lot of their job is memorization where as engineers apply pattern methods to solve problems.

[@leif1075]

@@strikechord Butnyou can argue theoretical physics and all the math requires as much attention and care. And if neurosurgeons have to memorize if that's what you mean, the memorizing can be easier for people than analyzing and problem solving..a lotnof times at least..unless maybe you have a really bad memory..

[@strikechord]

@@leif1075 That’s fair. I guess it would be harder for me to do neuro, I guess that’s why I stick with the “rocket science” haha

[@alexlarson2466]

There is a very interesting rivalry between brain surgeons and rocket scientists going on rn and it's awesome. Used to joke about the idea of neurosurgeons and rocket scientists dueling in rivalry and here it is. Probably agree though overall becoming a neurosurgeon is harder overall. Interesting too, I studied Mechanical engineering at Colorado State University, which is well known for its veterinary and biomedical research and neuroscience research. Unlike CU Boulder that had more aerospace specific research, much of the mechanical engineering research at CSU was in biomedical applications. A cool crossover of the 2 fields

[@soho6435]

My mom is an aerospace engineer and my dad is a heart surgeon. My mom always says that being a surgeon is way harder than being an engineer. My dad agrees lol

[@meg6328]

dangggg you must be well off! super impressive jobs.

[@quitestiger2818]

and what's ur profession?

[@tmosh55]

I’d guess they’re very different jobs so it depends what hard means. Aerospace engineer is probably a lot more difficult mathematically but brain surgeon is likely more knowledge and skill based + high pressure.

[@lumen1715]

My father is eye surgeon he says same 😮‍💨😮‍💨

[@travelchimps6637]

What an interesting family u are

[@quite1enough]

14:50 migraine question

[@DonalG45]

Thank you 😊

[@vivianabojorquez6483]

Bless you

[@Sunrise-fr9jb]

Thank you

[@samuela-aegisdottir]

They edited the crucial part of the answer out. But you can read it in the tweet.

[@nva225]

​​@@samuela-aegisdottir Thank you for that addon. This video answer was the least informative answer out of any of these despite being the title question. The text does help a little, although I still have some questions.

[@thedeschannel3169]

Mad respect to anyone in this field. You are dealing with an organ that perceives all existence. Without it, there is nothing.

[@justinc4924]

Without my wang, there is nothing

[@ManyArmedMooseDei]

Actually, the gut contains quite a great deal of neurons, even thinking on its own to a degree, and has even been referred to as “the second brain” by some experts. That, and the whole is the sun of its parts. Each cell of the body perceives to a degree, but the brain does most of the managing of perception.

[@kevinjusdeel1223]

My nephew is stuyding this field, it takes years and prob longer than that. HAT OFF

[@Waxican]

@@ManyArmedMooseDeione could argue the groin also functions as a second brain, often times at conflict with the main one…😂

[@sugarrrfree]

Technically everything remains the same. We just wouldn’t perceive it, no?

[@ericpenrose3649]

Man, the editing at the end there was brutal. "If the brain has no pain receptors how do I get headaches" "...that relaxation... stimulates the pain receptors... and causes pain" The neurosurgeon certainly knows and explained that the pain happens in structures outside and around the brain and addressed this in his tweet. It would have been nice if the editor here did him the courtesy of leaving the bit of the answer central to the actual question in the audio.

[@Smittenhamster]

That makes a lot more sense, I literally just wanted to comment that I didn't understand the answer to the migraine question.

[@poooooooooooooop7777]

Editing on these videos mess up a lot of answers unfortunately

[@lalalulu5035]

@@Smittenhamster the meninges, that are located right around the brain, are the part that is pain sensitive if you're interested :)

[@homicideholicsanonymous]

One of the main theories is headaches are caused by inflammation elsewhere in the body leading to dilation of blood vessels that end up pressing on neurons. I have had episodic migraines for over 10 years....sumatriptan helps alot!

[@zacharysherry2910]

I wish I could understand this because my five-year-old woke up saying he had a headache :(

[@KiLLJOY1056]

Neurosurgeon are literal saviours, miracle workers. The pressure must be absolutely immense, the normal person could never deal with having this much responsibility with someones life.

[@jakemaxwell3810]

The pressure on physicians is crazy. Depression is 15-30% higher among med students than general population in the US and 1 in 15 physicians has had suicidal ideation in the past year. I don't wish that kind of stress on anyone.

[@janedoeYT]

That bit of "patient recalled childhood memories in great detail during brain surgery" is sooooo freaking cool

[@nebojsarodic1720]

I think I've had that a few times with my MS diagnosis, completely random flashes of very vivid memories. Memory loss is a common symptom of the disorder but I'd prefer these memory flashes, they are kinda nice

[@michaelbuckers]

That's not necessarily a real memory. Because memories are stored as concepts, a completely random set of concepts (momentarily generated by a physical brain perturbation) can be decoded into a hyper realistic memory.

[@SailorYuki]

it's a good thing it was a good memory. Just imagine if it was a trauma they had blocked.

[@camste82]

@@michaelbuckers Yeah. I had a DBS stimulator operated in several years ago. Nothing like that happened during the surgery, but when the doctors were later turning it on and tweaking the settings I was looking at the hospital bed, having vivid memories about going to the a specific shop in my neighbourhood and shopping for these specific sheets with my mother. This was of course something that had never happened, but in the moment it felt completely real. The doctors noticed me zoning out, and stopped what they were doing.

[@tabora_]

​@SailorYuki I would have a melt down if that happened omg

[@josuemelendez4300]

This amazing guy is actually my neurosurgeon. He is absolutely amazing, as is his entire staff. I'm geeking out watching this video!

[@keldalaney]

Interesting and great to hear! I was just wondering what kind of drs the people in these videos actually are. They all seem great, but they could be incompetent and talking garbage since I know next to nothing about the subject.

[@samsowden]

how do you know he didn't manipulate your brain into thinking that?

[@josuemelendez4300]

@@samsowden Hahaha! If he manipulated my brain to make me happy, then I’m OK with it.

[@FoodNerds]

Wow!

[@Cheese_man539]

@@josuemelendez4300 his brain has definitely been tampered with

[@EfiniX]

Good Lord, are you paying the editor based on number of cuts?!?

[@zen6455]

Always love when somebody who knows editing notices stuff like this

[@Elga1976]

😂

[@helenfhnin]

now that you've pointed it out, I can't stop noticing it

[@not_you_i_dont_even_know_you]

Apparently they think the average viewer has a one second attention span 😂

[@JoshZanders]

Yeah, I'm guessing the cuts are all excising pauses and fillers that would interrupt the flow of what he's saying. Lesser of two evils, in my personal opinion. Not everyone is naturally articulate, but a video presenting someone as a subject-matter expert has motivation to help them appear effortlessly comfortable.

[@juverlopez13]

Ayo bring this guy back, I love him. Lots of surgeons on KZbin refer to scrub techs as scrubs nurses but we like the term “O.R. Tech” or scrub tech. love him

[@ingGS]

This was amazing to watch. Knowledgable doctor with enough charisma and straight-to-the-point attitude.

[@Tam-te5nh]

Agreed

[@bshanmugasundaram3780]

If you don't have that attitude you will be annihilated at the highest level

[@ChristianAlarcon1]

And a big head

[@Zeroshiki]

​@@bshanmugasundaram3780 Not sure what you mean, but taking this literally, over half the human race would be dead if this was true.

[@pyronix]

this is exactly how i'd imagine a neurosurgeon to look like - charismatic, exuding copious amounts of confidence and ego, and just an infallible sureness in their own abilities.

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

The whole I don't practice beforehand is absolutely bonkers. Seriously you don’t have some animal kadavars? Wtf are you doing?

[@aidenchoe4971]

@@aethylwulfeiii6502if it’s their first operation, they will usually be assisting a more experienced surgeon to gain more experience. They’re not gonna be leading a whole surgery on their first operatio.

[@thegurw1994]

​@@aethylwulfeiii6502they do practice on cadavers. But students spend years shadowing a more experienced surgeon, and then spend even more years being micromanaged by a more experienced surgeon, and then graduate to being supervised, then to operating with support, then to properly leading their own theatre. It's not completely without practice. But the cadaver practice typically only happens in the first couple years, it's far more valuable to a brain surgeon specifically to have a live patient.

[@o1-preview]

also @pyronix, I don't think this guy came off as someone who has a big ego, I've met docs and physics majors who were way worse

[@cookiemonstaaa1426]

This is a good description. Surgeons HAVE to be sure in their own abilities- imagine a surgeon going into the OR nervous and not confident ? The patient would definitely not feel good having a surgeon who’s unsure or not confident

[@adequatequality]

These WIRED videos really show the importance of being able to simplify complex topics when you're an expert in your field. Makes for such engaging and informative content that the average person can understand clearly.

[@YokoYokoOneTwo]

People don't become experts so that they can entertain the average person

[@adequatequality]

@@YokoYokoOneTwo No, but if they later decided to teach or communicate what they do to the general audience, they’d better know how to simplify things. Additionally, it shows a better understanding of your subject

[@YokoYokoOneTwo]

@@adequatequality so it doesnt show the importance of being able to simplify complex topics when "you're an expert in your field" but the importance if you want to teach or speak to general audience which doesn't apply to every expert

[@adequatequality]

@@YokoYokoOneTwo You seem to be vehemently against what I said for some reason despite it being a completely reasonable statement. Not sure why you're being so vexing but I'll leave it at that. Good day

[@raghavarora1106]

​@YokoYokoOneTwo

[@ten.points.to.hufflepuf]

"Lobotomies ate not only A THING, they were the only instance where neurosurgery ever won the noble prize" WHAAAAAT that's crazyyyyyy 5:50

[@Ullish1989]

As an advocate for reducing stigma around mental illness I agree with his comments about the Lobotomy and Thorazine being an important pathway into the understanding that mental illness was in fact an illness and not "weakness" or a character fault. It should be noted that while the Nobel Prize was won for this procedure, it was a complete failure in achieving the predicted results and even today people still live with the very real disability of having had a Lobotomy or extended Thorazine treatment and they are unable to process very simple information and problem solving.

[@caddywampa6602]

The lobotomy was a horrifying, unjustifiable violation of personhood, privacy and patient consent, popularized by a grotesque, fame-hungry, snake-oil peddling monster. Walter Freeman toured America promoting lobotomies by inviting the press to patients' homes, where he would perform the procedure with an icepick, with them laying on a kitchen table, with no anesthesia. Lobotomies left tens of thousands of people severely brain damaged- often being essentially zombified, losing all will to act independently, and sometimes the ability to even respond to speech or their environment. And it was'nt, for the most part, used on people who were actually mentally ill- It was predominantly forced on girls and women who suffered no ailment, but whose fathers and husbands found them 'difficult', and minorities who the authorities deemed 'uppity' and in need of pacification.

[@kinashy8863]

Well said

[@JZGreengo]

Should be illegal

[@kinashy8863]

@@JZGreengo i think it is now

[@slitheen3]

Absolutely. It was a horrific, dark chapter in medical history, but like many horrific chapters in medicine's history, it also helped us gain a much better understanding and a starting point on where to go next. Before then, psychiatric illnesses were basically seen as a character flaw, or demonic possession/influence. Or both. Not actual illnesses There's still sort of a modern form of lobotomies- although obviously much more refined and is rare. It targets specific connections instead of severing random ones willy nilly and is used as a last resort for extreme, treatment-resistant depression and OCD

[@khalilahd.]

It’s so cool to see people doing the jobs you dreamt of as a kid ❤ honestly my favorite segment on this channel

[@TheGbelcher]

Just because we grew up doesn’t mean we have to stop dreaming 😊

[@murrey1646]

@@GargiK-ff3lj fr i knew i saw her pfp before

[@nostalgia545]

@@GargiK-ff3lj She’s everywhere!!!

[@mohdfarun9496]

Can we just appreciate the fact that surgeons inadvertently struck a part of the brain that allowed the patient to recall a childhood memory in detail and it’s now been studied so that it can be used to find a cure for Alzheimer's. Like how freaking cool is that.

[@coloradoing9172]

Not a cure, a treatment.

[@mohdfarun9496]

@@coloradoing9172 a treatment atm but future tech could be developed that can actually cure and/or prevent it altogether.

[@randomfjord1256]

The moment I see this man, I immediately remember Glaucomflecken's neurosurgeon bit. The moment he answers those questions... I am convinced that Glaucomflecken's bits are ALL based on reality.

[@-shibe]

I started working in an inpatient setting, and I about died when I saw one of our ED docs walking their multi-thousand dollar carbon-fiber street bike down the hall into the lounge. I already had seen the diet coke earlier that week.

[@DOC_951]

@@-shibe I’m an ER doctor, I can confirm… we love Diet Coke.

[@alexlarson2466]

I also love diet coke. I am a rocket scientist and I challenge you to a duel! After we duel we can make amends over diet coke. So if doctors drink diet coke it can't be that bad for you eh?

[@RabblesTheBinx]

​@@alexlarson2466 I mean, the sweeteners aren't, but "doctors drink it" isn't really a great argument considering how many doctors and nurses are smokers.

[@norniea]

Dr. Glaucomflecken has actually said all his skits are based on reality and that he consults with those actual doctors for the details of each skit. 😅

[@gabrielviana9883]

I'm a Med student and I don't know if I'm going to be a psychiatrist or neurosurgeon, Wired could do a psychiatry support 😁

[@khalilahd.]

Lol agreed

[@auntwu2312]

If you want a life go psychiatry. If you want money go neuro.

[@lanzcordero2132]

THIS

[@darquez24]

Well neuro is the hardest residencey to get into... you need near-perfect scores on ur CASPs but if you have them neuro is probably the better path.

[@yellowpenguin774]

Every thought about you failing and not doing anything ?

[@abhimanyunair2117]

00:02 Brain surgery requires patients to be awake for specific procedures 02:15 Neurosurgeons perform brain surgeries with precision and advanced technology 04:21 Neurosurgeons use titanium plates and plastic replacements for skull and brain surgeries. 06:38 Neurosurgery encompasses brain surgery and more. 08:45 Neurosurgeons can unroof air cells to access the pituitary base and remove tumors without disrupting normal anatomy. 10:53 Brain stimulation during surgery potentially triggers vivid memory recall. 13:00 Deep brain stimulation surgery helps regulate electrical activity in the brain. 15:05 Choosing the area for brain electrode placement

[@laurel9274]

You’re awesome for this!!!

[@BSLS123]

Hero

[@MidNS]

"close the scalp and then we get lunch" That is one crazy doctor, I'd trust him and be glad it wasn't me doing it.

[@pedromendes5022]

This dude needs to do a round 2. This stuff is so interesting!

[@thedailywin537]

This fellow, and the funeral director also featured in this series, are easily two of the most engaging individuals I've had the pleasure of watching on KZbin, no matter the subject. The choppy editing is part of the landscape now, it would seem, but it also serves to maintain the momentum, or pace at which the subject matter experts answer the viewer questions. Fair enough. More, please. 🙂

[@Fwyd]

Please have this doctor back. I want to hear him talk about dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins.

[@austinhernandez2716]

He's a surgeon. That's not something he probably had to worry about a lot.

[@drjawad92]

A neuroscientist or maybe a psychiatrist would be more adept at those things. Surgeons don’t usually know about stuff like that since they don’t deal with those things.

[@paulohenriquerodrigues3230]

Just considering the fact that he's a brain surgeon called Brian, he deserves a recurrent series of videos. Lol I find it amazing when people have names fitting for their jobs

[@roanaya2598]

BUZZ WORD ALERT... MEeeeEEHHH (sheep noises)

[@dwaynekeenum1916]

@@roanaya2598entire playlist is obscure artists to look cool

[@paddyj7690]

I have such admiration for your profession. I think neurosurgeons are some of very few people able to give somebody a new lease of life. In 2018 I was diagnosed with a stage 2 Astrocytoma in the right temporal lobe and underwent surgery to remove it. 9 months later I went back for further removal and had a very positive outcome. The surgeon achieved gross total resection. No side effects whatsoever and tumour free 5 years on. The ony remnants are an impressive scar and some anxiety and seasonal depression (which I didn't have before) which I can handle well.

[@Arthur-hg7ny]

it’s not rocket surgery

[@rajrentfro27]

It’s ALWAYS rocket surgery

[@keithmaggio7755]

It's brain science!

[@el_blaxicano2]

his "oh gosh, really? " reaction to the comment about running a finger across the brain basically is the same of saying "and that is why your not a brain surgeon"

[@ferretyluv]

*you’re

[@lucydonohue4919]

​@@ferretyluv *you're* a waste of space

[@MichaelDavis-mk4me]

People have morbid / weird questions, it's human nature. I actually wondered too if you could technically very gently touch a brain without damaging it.

[@ChiefBret]

These videos always remind me of when they would have a career day at school and you could walk around and look and talk with an expert about their profession.

[@ricksomething]

I'm a doctor of rocket surgery. Come at me.

[@couththememer]

*_*Comes at you_**

[@thegreaterpotato6264]

SCP-890 has escaped

[@roselve6798]

I thought it was "comet at me" XD

[@Halinspark]

Rocket surgeons are just aerospace machinists.

[@julief8777]

I’m so glad you brought up the smell. A nurse friend of mine finally got to attend a brain surgery. She went to the cafeteria and ate a meal knowing she would be in the OR for hours. The surgeon saw her and asked what she was doing…and made no comments. Fast forward to the surgery and she had to rush out due to gagging once the smell hit her. I believe the staff placed bets on how long she’d last. She didn’t make the same mistake again😂

[@nycrsny3406]

😂😂

[@ace9848]

Surgeons eat before long surgeries tho they are used to gross stuff

[@muhtasimfuad1945]

what, that must be her first time in OT

[@Nick17354]

@@muhtasimfuad1945 Dude said in the first line, second sentence, that she finally got to attend a brain surgery.

[@Demonetization_Symbol]

That's not funny.

[@BobbySliko]

I’ve had brain surgery a total of five times to deal with a tumor that was crushing my optic nerves. A hard to eliminate cyst developed with the tumor and after the first surgery it swelled in size, also crushing my optic nerves. The most invasive one I had is a craniotomy, and the other four were minimally invasive. Surgeries one and two were done through my nose trans-sphenoidal, meaning they cut through my sphenoid sinus. As a result of the optic nerve damage, I have permanently lost about 75% of my sight

[@kevincastro8768]

Sorry to hear that I hope you get better and that you can adjust quickly to your sight loss

[@matejvolarevic]

congrats

[@gmill7911]

So sorry to hear. I also had a massive, very aggressive skull base tumor that compressed the optic chiasm, required three transsphenoidal surgeries and ultimately, radiation to stop.

[@BobbySliko]

@@gmill7911 That’s exactly where my tumor was targeting. I had to get radiation too, for the cyst. It was too close to some vital structures for the gamma knife, so I just had the standard radiation

[@spit_soup]

this always sounds so fake and cheesey but i genuinely mean it, you are so extremely strong for being able to go through that . like on so many levels.

[@JonathanRosen-l8w]

This video should literally be played in every health classroom in the US you learn so much information in 15 minutes and he explains it clearly

[@Baghuul]

The pressure and exhaustion a neurosurgeon goes through, not to mention you are dealing with brain, or spine etc is what makes it harder.

[@dabeamer42]

Had a craniotomy six months ago for a benign meningioma. By far, the weirdest part of the experience was the collection of repeating hallucinations I had during the 4-5 day period between "getting in line" at the hospital and the surgery itself. Don't know what was happening up there, but it was a trip. Visual, audio and tactile. And oddly, I still remember the vivid (and strange) dreams I had during that 4-5 day period.

[@pynn1000]

Major operation a year ago. Weird dreams before and after surgery felt very "real", mostly pleasant, some less so, most unconnected to real life. I assumed it was drugs - perhaps it wasn't?

[@rayanahmed285]

Bro, this guy is so rare. I just read that there is a huge deficit in neurosurgeons, imagine having this guy's skills, the demand for what his hands can do is so immense it's crazy.

[@benjaminlee4984]

For the question at 14:57 , the expansion of arteries also pushes against the Dura that encapsulates our brain and adheres to the skull, these layers have the nociceptors allowing us to feel that change in pressure and giving a headache/migraine

[@estherpettigrew3042]

Yeah. He spoke of blood feels constricting and relaxing…but I think he meant blood VESSELS.

[@codom9077]

Yeah definitely not blood cells.

[@sarahpatterson5979]

What he said about electrocautery is so true. I was lucky enough to observe internal surgeries as a high school student and oh god that smell. I actually started having sense memories of it during the early pandemic because I hadn't worn a surgical mask since then and my brain apparently associated the smell of my own breath in a face mask with the smell of cooked human. Fun!

[@SlaveKnightGael1579]

@Tjheato You good bro?

[@1320crusier]

I've burned myself badly enough before than I got a good whiff of that. 0/10 would not recommend

[@lazarussevy2777]

I feel smarter after watching this. No other WIRED guest was actually able to make me feel like that. I'm surprised at how much and how well we can operate on the brain.

[@teenzset8827]

I have a tectal glioma and I have nothing but respect for neurosurgeons, they were able to take a part of my tumor out and test it and I am so impressed and glad that they did it without killing me lol

[@Niki-noo]

My brother had his tumor removed through his nose the first time round. He was one of the first in the UK to have it done by (as we call him) our hero Mr Nijaguna Mathad. They has went in behind his ear for the same tumor a few years later. It's fascinating and utterly amazing what Neurosurgeons are able to do. Well any surgeon for that matter. I really enjoyed the presentation of this video and this doctors amazing knowledge. Thank you.

[@jaykay1223]

The doctors told me that aneurysms don't cause anything until they break... I had headaches, migraines, vertigo for years until I had surgery. Almost everything is gone now

[@yongihkim]

My husband has Parkinson's Disease, and he and I are going to see him soon for deep brain stimulation surgery and this video just popped up on my feed!! Can't wait to meet you, Dr. Kopell!

[@NateDogg8866]

Have trust in these doctors. They know what they’re doing. I’ve had brain surgery and I’ve been doing great ever since.

[@terrancekayton007]

BEST

[@orangeissoftpower]

How did it go?

[@cinnamoncat8950]

how ld it go?

[@yongihkim]

@@cinnamoncat8950 Everything went very well! It's been 6 months since the surgeries, and now he only takes 1/10th of medication he used to take before the surgeries and is doing much better.

[@Loddentidster]

Having my brain operated on seems super scary, but this guy seems so qualified and professional it comforts me, if I ever had to have brain surgery 😌

[@HyperfixatationInc]

The knowledge that my brain is throbbing in my skull with every breath and heartbeat makes a lot of sense but is also incredibly horrific. Thank you

[@awaywithray]

this video made me gratful to be alive at this time and appreciate all the amazing technology we have when it come to this stuff

[@TheDisastronaut]

I think it would be really cool to see how these experts got into to their fields in the first place, and to tell us about their journey leading up to their position. Maybe they could talk about what they went through with University/College, getting a job after studies and what generally speaking, sparked their interest, if there even was one to begin with. Maybe even give some advice on what they've learned over the years and potentially pass it down. I know that it might be quite personal for some to go into a bit of detail about it, but I think it could be really helpful for those of us who are exploring career options and weighing up pathways to take. Granted that this stuff could literally be a google search away, but on this platform, it could be really useful. Just my two cents. Love the content, look forward to seeing more.

[@ameliesayshola8854]

There’s a great podcast called Ologies which is literally what you describe. I’d think you’d enjoy it!

[@AnaKorama]

BRAIN WITH BRIAN give this man a youtube channel

[@kellya.9219]

I've had 3 brain surgeries and was awake for one of them so they knew they were not hitting any areas that affected my speech or movement

[@katarinajanoskova]

Did you chat to them the whole time? Does it smell weird? Hope you are ok btw.

[@osdenza]

Does your thought process change in the process?

[@biiasanches7715]

This guy is amazing! I am on my second year of pre med and I cannot wait to be able to witness this happening and learn these things! Amazing video 💕⭐

[@muhtasimfuad1945]

how do you like that neuroanatomy now , lmao, ez pz .

[@heideggersbeingandtimeavid7406]

I broke my neck in a car accident and amazingly the neurosurgeon was able to fuse together the spine and I am neither paralyzed nor dead! I wonder if 20 years ago .. were the same techniques available?

[@SocalCoyote]

2:36 That there, folks, is the perfect and most natural *bonk* I have ever heard.

[@uhno6771]

The Dr in the video is really knowledgeable and explains things really well, you should have him back.

[@HexQuesTT]

I've had a craniectomy to relieve pressure after swelling after my aneurysm was coiled so it was cool to hear him talk about it, though, I didn't keep my bone flap, I had a cranioplasty later where they put a titanium plate in, until then I had to wear a custom made helmet whenever I stood up because oft he soft spot

[@dacooldude7692]

Ectomy or octomy..?

[@HexQuesTT]

@@dacooldude7692 craniectomy is when they remove some bone and don't put anything back until later, craniotomy is when they put something back in the same surgery

[@Ezechielpitau]

@@HexQuesTT why couldn't they just reinsert the bone? they do that all the time here

[@HexQuesTT]

@Ezechielpitau I was in hospital for 2 months and they needed to remove the piece of skull to relieve pressure on my brain cause there was swelling causing my left side to become unresponsive

[@dacooldude7692]

@@HexQuesTT couldn’t they have placed that fraction of the skull inside of your skin?

[@davidaraujo2049]

The "Brain" doctor, is called Brian. Let that sink in 😌

[@ronaldgarrett3937]

The brain named itself, let that sink in.

[@CongressGamingINC]

Ok I let it in! What’s next?

[@macherie1234]

When I did medical transcription, there were a couple of neurosurgeons named Brian. Yep. Had to double check each report to make sure I hadn't typed Brain.

[@sylviagerritsen7975]

My brother just had brain surgery last week. He is a mess right now but we are very hopeful he will make a full recovery. Thanks to his surgeon.

[@BankruptMonkey]

Usually rocket scientists and brain surgeons just say the other one is harder but this man really is just standing firm instead ha

[@bshanmugasundaram3780]

He is just revenging on rocket scientists haha

[@alokbaluni8760]

I am sure most brain surgeons/doctor would say that their job is harder. When you spend most of your life in hospital it can make a bit arrogant lol.

[@malloryg4251]

@@alokbaluni8760 He wasn't arrogant, he was stating what he believes to be a fact and giving a very reasonable explanantion. Also, regardless of what you think, he DOES have one of the most difficult jobs out there, and acknowledging that is fine. People always conflate confidence in what you do with arrogance.

[@zye8360]

@@malloryg4251believing something is a fact doesn’t make it a fact.

[@jackwhitbread4583]

Brain surgeons are always beyond arrogant , this can't be news to anyone.

[@evehg117]

Personally I think the level of challenge of anything depends on how high the risks are. When lives are involved, the risk level goes up, and therefore the level of challenge. Both neurosurgery and rocket science have human lives at stake. I doubt the engineers that worked on Columbia agreed that neurosurgery is more difficult when they watched the rocket essentially melt apart and killed all crew on it. Hard to compare in my opinion. Both are equally respectful.

[@Farreach]

I would say Rocket Science is far harder than Neuroscience) it just requires far more skills in my opinion .. but Theoretical Physics is much harder than both and that would be on the same level as Theoretical Computer Science... solving unknown problems is far harder than solving known problems always has been and always will be

[@dizzybee7386]

Fantastic video, I loved the down-to-earth approach of this guy. I do wonder if neurosurgeons think it's weird that their own brains are used to analyse brains, like some meta thing, creating an existential moment.

[@thomascampbell350]

This is the nicest neurosurgeon I’ve ever seen

[@BSLS123]

How many have you seen ... 😂😂

[@Sikthkid]

4:42, he says computer’s but it’s actually Biomed Designers like myself. We’re kind of a secret in the field though, not sure why.

[@manuelwie]

the last answer he gave is huge. being able to learn anything (potentially a lot) quicker could absolutely be one of the most decisive technologies in this era. imagine being able to learn things two or three times as fast as now. that would be such a huge boost to basically anything. the questions that come up for me, then, are either morality issues or possible side effects (especially in the early stages).

[@Marina-wi3rs]

The answer for the migraine question (14:55) wasn’t very clear as he said “stimulates pain receptors” but also said there are no pain receptors?

[@drjawad92]

@@punkinhootloved the way you explained that 😄

[@patheddles4004]

Stimulates pain receptors outside of the brain. Brain still doesn't have any of its own.

[@zg4705]

7:00 if you're interested in lobotomies, read "My Lobotomy" by Howard Dully. Incredible, heartbreaking read. Lobotomies are horrible. To say they were net positive ignores the truly unthinkable pain that the victims of that torture have gone through.

[@Neenerella333]

And the fact that a completely unqualified hack going door to door, ruined so many lives in the 50s.

[@FoulMouthedChick]

I came here to say the same thing. I a was little shocked that he didn't even mention the negative aspects of lobotomies, or how widespread they used to be.

[@ericthehalfbee573]

So wack he didn't mention anything about the "success" rate of those lobotomies either

[@jakesuper6447]

I think he's saying they were progressive for its time period, progress never happens in a straight line, read hegelian dialectics

[@DreamersOfReality]

It's the cult of progress. Doesn't matter how atrocious something was, if it helps progress science, they view it as a necessary evil. I've literally had hardcore tech bros justify Amerindian genocides and European colonization because the colonial society created rocket ships.

[@Maipenrai55]

Worked as an RN in the Neuro ICU at UCSF…these doctors were incredible, and most also had additional PhD degrees. I Assisted in drilling burr holes into the skull and placing catheters to measure brain pressure, and learned so much. If you or someone you love has a neurological problem, try to go to an academic medical center!

[@Alex-cw3rz]

You can be be an ameteur at Rocketry, you can't be an ameteur brain surgeon, well that's what the judge said to me anyway

[@ryanjones7681]

"I aim for the stars, but sometimes i hit London."

[@gretamurphy3704]

😂🎉

[@JCKmusicandmore]

​@@ryanjones7681 XD

[@Rune_tide]

I've had transcranial magnetic stimulation before actually. Cured my depression, not so much my ADHD though.

[@nathan87]

The madlad not only said that brain surgery was harder, he also went and justified it.

[@ShowYamato1]

I love how the Aerospace Engineers said "Rocket Science is definitely harder than Brain Surgery"

[@alexlarson2466]

Our rivalry with brain surgeons shall never end.

[@FictionHubZA]

​@@alexlarson2466Adventure time.

[@aethylwulfeiii6502]

Effective Rocket science dates back to around 1000 ad with the invention of gun powder. Effective brain surgery is really only a few decades old.

[@cameronschyuder9034]

@@aethylwulfeiii6502lobotomies have been around for longer than a few decades. Also, not sure gun powder can be considered “rocket science” since it was mainly used for… guns and other similar things

[@lunasquib]

13:18 as someone with OCD This is very validating, knowing it’s able to be seen physically

[@Buzzzy-bee]

That’s every mental illness basically

[@g_way]

8:07 "Craniotome" would make an awesome band name

[@CrashDummy619]

12:54 my epilepsy started in my left hippocampus (extremely close to the thalamus) because of scar tissue and I got that removed two months ago. Whoops. FYI for people about to get neurosurgery. It’s the scariest thing going in but once you get out of the hospital and recover it’s one of the best decisions ive made. It ain’t cheap but it’s so worth it.

[@derteater]

Hah I live in a specific part of the eu so it's free

[@CrashDummy619]

@@derteater yeah, rub it in as*hole

[@Marksman3434]

One question I think would've been interesting to ask him is how have some people been able to get shot in the head and survive and sometimes even not have any notable permanent brain damage after recovering.

[@Davichiz]

If they'd see me sign my name they'd swear I had brain damage.

[@Heffey02]

That was fascinating. Truly mind blowing 🤯…(Sorry, had to do it.) Really was incredibly interesting though. The amount of knowledge, consistency and nerves of steel it would take to be ANY kind of a surgeon, let alone a neurosurgeon is hard for me to imagine.

[@BeepBoop335]

As a rocket scientist (aerospace engineer working on rocket engines) with a wife who is a doctor, I can say without a doubt being almost any kind of doctor is harder than being a rocket scientist.

[@nickia726]

Considering that I’ve had 18 brain surgeries this was so cool to me💜

[@cheapskate102]

For what?? If you don't mind me asking

[@nickia726]

@@cheapskate102 I was born with Hydrocephalus, a clog of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain.

[@lottiequirk9673]

@@nickia726 I have hydrocephalus too! Neurosurgery is tremendous!

[@Cupcake4me]

@@nickia726 18 surgeries wow…if you don’t mind me asking, were they to replace your shunt ? My mum has Hydrocephalus too and has a VP shunt.

[@nickia726]

@@Cupcake4meI’ve only had my shunt replaced once when I was five, so yes😅, my first few surgeries was to insert my first shunt when I was like a month old.

[@GraceToo_]

I love these support segments, Wired always finds the most interesting topics and people to watch 🥰

[@alex_davis_11]

2:36 Inconveniently? It’s pretty convenient to have your brain protected like that 😅

[@vickym2607]

I had to have a brain surgery for something and when I woke up I had a drain in because of pressure. The stuff in it looked mostly clear but there were a lot of little tiny specks. When I asked what the specks are, I was told they were "unimportant grey matter". When is grey matter considered "important" or not?

[@TheJohn8765]

That was a very ... generous perspective on lobotomies.

[@MaLLinz289]

Trying to rebrand his profession despite that one war crime

[@jakepullman4914]

​@@MaLLinz289 Not sure you understand what a "war crime" is. For starters, a war is involved...

[@lvzane]

I have a scheduled appointment with a brain neurosurgeon on january 2025 and I am already nervous. But this video kind of made me less anxious. Our brains are amazing!

[@colinstu]

8:17 if anyone is wondering what the blurred section says: "Wonder if that means I’ll be able to blow my brains out?"

[@elissanadine]

I was literally scrolling to find this, thank you!

[@vineetkrishna3634]

For a single person, rocket science would certainly be harder, considering there's just so much stuff to do. Now, if you have access to an infinite number of people and the only differentiator is the amount of skill required by the people actually doing anything, brain surgery is probably harder.

[@ostagon11b]

Could look at how long it takes to solve a problem in the respective fields. For instance, in "rocket science" we often have a problem that can takes months to solve and involve a dozen scientists trying to solve it. That's just one problem, of which there's often several dozen.

[@chandanroywbc]

This is the answer I was expecting.

[@bartleferink4911]

There is basically one answer: they cant be compared

[@smellypatel5272]

Look at the training to become a neurosurgeon vs a rocket scientist. And look at how many neurosurgeons exist compared to rocket scientists. Clearly surgery is much more difficult and special of the two

[@creamysalad9638]

2:07 missed opportunity to say "mind-blowing"

[@AdamHarahsheh]

😂

[@Berengier817]

5:30 yup. My thoughts exactly

[@skoolboy991]

i think they’re very hard to compare. Neuroscience is memorization and experience. Rocket science is veryyyyy complex math normally without a time restraint

[@stefthorman8548]

Not to trash rocket scientist, but the "very complex math" is done by an computer, so other then proof checking the math, and properly inputting the numbers, what else do they do?

[@skoolboy991]

they have to program for computers to solve the difficult math problems. it takes more understanding than you would need to do it by hand, even.

[@skoolboy991]

@@stefthorman8548truthfully his reply to that question just bothered me. comparing neurons in the brain to stars in the galaxy (which there’s actually 200B, not 100) just doesn’t really correlate to difficulty lol

[@starlenestilltouringyoutub2116]

dang, I felt him die on the inside when he said that lobotomy is the only instance of a neurosurgery Nobel Prize :(

[@Necrophadez]

Wikipedia says a lot of recipients have received the Nobel Prize: "The Herbert Olivecrona Award, also known as the "Nobel Prize of Neurosurgery", is awarded annually by the Karolinska Institute to a neurosurgeon or neuroscientist who has made an outstanding contribution to the neurosurgical field." There is a list of names that follow on Wiki.

[@stefthorman8548]

Not really, it actually makes sense why it would get an Nobel prize, since it tells the world that souls don't exist, and everything the person is, is in the brain

[@DreamersOfReality]

I'm an atheist, but no, that doesn't actually prove what you claim.

[@CompletelyNormalHuman]

@@stefthorman8548not really, we still have zero clue what causes consciousness and the like.

[@SA41959]

@@stefthorman8548utter nonsense.

[@masterofalltrades_]

probably the hardest and most demanding surgical field

[@prettyboytoxic999]

0:30 THAT'S THE GOAT ARTIST‼️

[@AlreadyTaken999]

Appreciate the answers and practiced craft but lol'ed when he said neurosurgery is without a doubt more complicated than rocket science. You're not managing each nervous connection, you're doing surgery on mass sections at a time, and ignoring that scientists in practice are planning their extremely complicated maneuvers days to years in advance often without any way to fix things in the moment if they go wrong. It'd be like saying being an engine mechanic is harder because of the sheer magnitude/unknowability of how each atom will interact during any single combustion reaction. The fields are just fundamentally different in skill set, not ranked. -non-NSGY MD

[@ANKIT-uw2gx]

So you are saying Rocket science is harder

[@kevinsandow5354]

Rocket science isnt so hard, we know more about how to design and send rockets to other planets than about our brain.

[@ay-qe9pk]

@@kevinsandow5354 that is not really true

[@ANKIT-uw2gx]

It Takes about 14 years to become a neuro surgeon in india and in rocket scientist About 6 years Sometimes only 4

[@joshrillo]

@@ay-qe9pk kerbal space program says otherwise. Jk.

[@clairegaylor8788]

my dad had deep brain stimulation and it increased his quality of life immeasurably. thank you brain surgeons !

[@JoyKazuhira]

I had so many questions on medical professionals out of curiosity but I can't just ask all of this casually so thank you.

[@gilshtrahman8696]

0:44 you should've told him "now do Classical Gas!"

[@Youtoobonly]

Glad to see Steve Guttenberg is working outside of acting. Still think Police Academy and Cocoon are your best works!

[@kaziu312]

You can thank the Stonecutters for that.