Man found missing 90% of his brain defies scientific understanding - most of his skull is filled with water

If you understand the anatomy, physiology and pathology involved just reading the text tells you the headline 'missing 90%' isn't true. Example, if I give you a rubber balloon and it is deflated, then I inflated it so that 90% of the volume it occupies has fresh air is it still 100% of a rubber balloon?

There are 4 main spaces (Ventricles) in the brain and the brain is not solid matter, there a lot of fluid normally between brain cells and around the organs of the brain. A CT scan measures changes in density between regions. If those cerebrospinal fluid filled spaces enlarge because there is more fluid coming in than is being pumped out (Hydrocephaly[1]) the brain matter that was there before is still there, there is no missing brain matter, it's just that what remains occupies less space inside the skull cavity due to the mechanical pressure [we call it ICP = Intracranial Pressure] of those cavities enlarging.

1: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CT_brain_scan_of_child_with_medulloblastoma_and_resulting_hydrocephalus.jpg

The reason those fluid filled spaces exist is to allow brain matter to enlarge and compress so that blood vessels can pass through the brain tissue. I've seen plenty of these types of head CT scans showing the result of hydrocephaly, no-one wonders about them, we know the effects of hydrocephaly and we know there is such a thing as 'compensation'. We know that one image on a series of head CT scan images only represents one thin slice through the brain.

Comment by ggk1 at 09/03/2025 at 21:27 UTC

24 upvotes, 0 direct replies

“They say we only use 10% of our brains”

This dude got very lucky to keep 100% of that 10%

Comment by Minimum_Name9115 at 09/03/2025 at 21:12 UTC

18 upvotes, 0 direct replies

This is old news. Very old.

Comment by ilivalkyw at 09/03/2025 at 20:57 UTC

30 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Civil servant? Is he a red state politician?

Comment by Morrison4113 at 09/03/2025 at 21:44 UTC

13 upvotes, 0 direct replies

…..yet somehow he successfully moderates 20 subreddits.

Comment by dr3wfr4nk at 09/03/2025 at 22:43 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Gives new definition to having water on the brain

Comment by Seven7ten10 at 09/03/2025 at 22:54 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Seems to be a lot of this going around, I only understood about 10% of what I read in that story.

Comment by Numerous-Fan1246 at 09/03/2025 at 21:07 UTC

14 upvotes, 0 direct replies

MAGA has proven water is enough for brain

Comment by BlueLaceSensor128 at 09/03/2025 at 21:54 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I just imagine it sloshing around in there anytime he moves his head suddenly.

Comment by Buck_Thorn at 09/03/2025 at 21:32 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Just goes to prove that in America, anyone can become President.

Comment by Reasonable-Knee-6430 at 09/03/2025 at 21:07 UTC

11 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Is his name Donald?

Comment by Spongbov5 at 09/03/2025 at 21:35 UTC

8 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Guessing he’s MAGA?

Comment by lafayette0508 at 10/03/2025 at 01:51 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

84 is more than a standard deviation below the mean IQ (100), which means he's in the ~15% lowest IQs in the population. This doesn't really change anything, it just seems like a bit of an exaggeration to call 84 "only slightly below average."

Comment by oboedude at 10/03/2025 at 05:27 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Don’t we only use 10% of our brain at a time anyway

Comment by Weekend_Criminal at 09/03/2025 at 22:20 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I love how almost everybody in this thread had the same thought

I can't go five minutes without seeing something about trump

Comment by SnooDonuts3878 at 09/03/2025 at 21:57 UTC

3 upvotes, 1 direct replies

What happens in winter?

Comment by wadeishere at 09/03/2025 at 22:50 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Mike Myers is doing a good job playing him on SNL

Comment by theCroc at 09/03/2025 at 21:27 UTC

3 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Very interesting. Just please try not to elect him to lead anything! I know it's tempting but we can't put brainless morons in every position of power!

Comment by griff_girl at 09/03/2025 at 23:18 UTC

2 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Water? You mean like in the toilet?