Can You Chew Your Way To Better Brain Health?!

More than a hundred new subscribers to The Neurosurgeon’s Guide in our first week. Thanks guys.

I think the brain is both fascinating and so important. I hope these little tidbits in The Neurosurgeon’s Guide are both interesting and helpful.

In This Edition

1. Brain Health News

2. Brain Hack of the Week

3. Reflections from the OR

4. Artificial Brains

5. Neuroscience Insight

6. Final Thoughts

Chew Your Way to a Sharper Mind? The Science of Mastication and Brain Health

What if something as simple as chewing could boost your brain health? A recent study published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience suggests that chewing harder materials—like wood blocks—may enhance cognitive function by increasing antioxidant levels in the brain.

We’ve long known that chewing increases cerebral blood flow, but this study takes it a step further. Researchers found that chewing moderately hard materials significantly elevated levels of glutathione (GSH)—a key antioxidant that protects the brain from oxidative stress. Interestingly, this increase was linked to improvements in memory function.

Oxidative damage is a major driver of cognitive decline, particularly in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Since there are currently no established medical treatments to directly raise GSH levels in the brain, this study suggests that chewing harder foods could serve as a natural, non-invasive strategy to support cognitive function and long-term brain health.

• Prioritize whole foods that require active chewing—think raw vegetables, nuts, and lean meats over ultra-processed soft foods.

• Consider mastication exercises—chewing gum is beneficial, but opting for firmer textures could be even better.

• Stay engaged with your diet and lifestyle choices—nutritional and behavioral strategies can have a lasting impact on brain resilience.

The research is still evolving, but if you’re looking for an easy, everyday brain hack, chew more, think better.

Brain Hack of the Week

🛠️ Hack:

Use the 4-7-8 breathing technique to quickly enhance focus, reduce stress, and improve cognitive clarity.

⏳ Time Required:

Less than 1 minute

💭 Why It Works:

This method increases oxygen flow to the brain, activates the parasympathetic nervous system, and lowers stress hormones, helping you stay sharp and calm.

How to Do It:

1️⃣ Inhale deeply through your nose for 4 seconds
2️⃣ Hold your breath for 7 seconds
3️⃣ Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds
4️⃣ Repeat for 4 cycles to feel the full effect

Use this technique before a big meeting, study session, or whenever your brain needs a quick reset!

@natebargatze

Your big dumb brain. #standupcomedy #brain #science #mindset #comedian

Reflections from the OR

The brain really is an enigma—simultaneously resilient and devastatingly fragile. To be honest I appreciate it most when sitting with patients - in clinic or at the bedside in the hospital - and walking through something new - a stroke, a new tumor, a brain aneurysm. In the OR, despite knowing its fragility to what we do in that moment - dissecting and cutting - I lose sight of it.

The brain, encased in the rigid fortress of the skull, is protected against external threats, yet it remains exquisitely vulnerable to the smallest disturbances.

A single aneurysm, no larger than a grain of rice, can rupture and erase decades of memories in an instant. A momentary lapse in blood flow can leave a once-brilliant mind trapped in an unresponsive body. A microscopic tumor, growing silently, can distort perception, emotion, and reason.

What humbles me most is that the brain’s fragility is not always immediate or dramatic. A slow accumulation of trauma, whether physical from repeated concussions or metabolic from chronic stress and inflammation, can gradually erode its function.

Yet, for all its vulnerabilities, the brain has an astonishing capacity for adaptation. The phenomenon of neuroplasticity—the ability to rewire and heal—offers hope. It is true that a neuron deprived of oxygen for too long does not revive. Unlike the liver or skin, the brain does not regenerate in the same way; damage, once done, is often irreversible. But the brain can certainly adapt and rewire, sometimes in impressive ways.

Yet (to keep using that word), we cannot afford to treat the brain like any other organ. Its vulnerabilities demand a commitment to preservation, from optimizing nutrition and sleep to reducing chronic stress and fostering cognitive stimulation.

Building a Silicon Brain: When AI Meets Neuroscience

Making computers think like human brains isn't science fiction anymore. Scientists at UCSF are leading the charge in combining AI with brain science to create something extraordinary.

Scientists have come a long way from basic brain scans to watching individual brain cells in action. At UCSF, researchers can now track exactly what happens in someone's brain during surgery - kind of like watching a live movie of their thoughts. This is huge because it helps us understand how our brains handle complex tasks like speaking or moving.

The really cool part? AI is helping make sense of all this brain data. Think about it like this: your brain has billions of cells sending messages to each other all the time. It's way too much information for humans to process alone. That's where AI steps in, helping scientists spot patterns and connections that we might miss.

In Dr. Edward Chang's lab at UCSF, they're doing something pretty amazing. While patients are awake during brain surgery, the team records their brain activity in incredible detail. They're basically creating a map of how thoughts happen in real-time. It's like having a front-row seat to watch the brain in action.

But here's the tricky part - they need to combine different types of brain data. Some tools look at single brain cells up close, while others show the bigger picture of whole brain regions working together. Making all this information work together is like trying to understand both the individual trees and the whole forest at the same time.

The real game-changer will be in helping people with brain injuries or conditions. Imagine someone who can't speak being able to communicate again through a computer that understands their thoughts. Or doctors being able to plan better treatments for conditions like bipolar disorder by understanding exactly how each person's brain works.

This work raises some big questions too. As we get better at making computers that think like brains, we'll need to think carefully about what that means for society. But one thing's clear - this research could help a lot of people live better lives.

Neuroscience Insight: Your Brain’s Emotional Command Center

The amygdala is a small, almond-shaped structure deep within the brain, but don’t let its size fool you—it plays a massive role in processing emotions, especially fear and threat detection. Acting as the brain’s alarm system, the amygdala rapidly assesses incoming sensory information and determines whether a situation is safe or dangerous.

When faced with a perceived threat, the amygdala sends signals to the hypothalamus, triggering the fight-or-flight response (we’ve all probably heard of that). This leads to a surge of adrenaline, increased heart rate, and heightened alertness—preparing you to either confront danger or escape it. This system was crucial for our ancestors’ survival but can become overactive in modern life, contributing to anxiety and stress-related disorders.

Human’s closest relatives - and even humans themselves - with severe amygdala damage have significantly reduced fear.

Beyond fear, the amygdala is also essential for emotional memory. It helps imprint emotionally charged experiences more deeply, which is why we vividly remember moments of extreme joy, fear, or trauma. Interestingly, a well-regulated amygdala, supported by mindfulness, exercise, and quality sleep, can help maintain emotional balance and resilience.

Final Thoughts

Thanks for reading this week. Drop a line and respond to this email, I’d love to know what you’d like to see more of in the newsletter.

Stay sharp,

Colin