A very basic question about the brain

[Iota]

Why doesn't the brain overheat within the confines of the skull? Alt. how does the brain cool itself down effectively, despite being surrounded mostly by thick bone?

 

My guesses are that the brain doesn't produce that much heat, and maybe something to do with the layer of fluid between the brain and skull.

[StringJunky]

Via the bloodstream using vasodilation and vasoconstriction i think: the former for when it's getting too hot and the latter for when it's too cold.

[Iota]

OK thanks. I suppose it's not actually that different from other internal places in the body, I just mistakenly viewed the skull as having a significant impact against homoeostasis; as though internal organs could only cool by losing heat from the body surface.

 

What's the chances of this news coming up just when I'm asking questions about the brain:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-23863544

[Titan1290]

By yawning and not being in your body where it is really hot also I think you lose something like 60% of heat out of your head (the last on may be a myth but what i'm saying is a lot of heat is lost from your by head which means it might not get terribly hot up there anyway).

[MohitM]

By breathing

[Joshua201]

Same way temperature homeostasis is accomplished

[oldsalt19]

Why do certain parts of a properly operating gasoline engine not overheat? The cooling system, usually a fluid , circulates thereby removing or adding heat as needed. Actually, brain tissue is quite metabolically active. Even the cooling evaporation of sweat must be fed by transport of blood.