The Brain of Wim Hof Analysed | Extraordinary Brains #10

In this episode of Extraordinary Brains, we discuss the extraordinary case of Wim Hof, aka the “Iceman”. Wim Hof is known for his Wim Hof Method. This method was developed by himself, and involves the usage of specific breathing techniques and mindful meditation while being exposed to cold. Beyond the positive effects this method has on one’s health, these actions are also thought to affect the autonomic nervous system, including the regulation of body temperature.
In this video, we discuss a paper conducted by Muzik, Reilly, & Diwadkar (2018), who investigated the effects of his method on brain activation, as performed by Wim Hof himself. In this fMRI study, Hof underwent a paradigm consisting of a whole-body temperature challenge designed to generate intermittent periods of hypothermia. To do this, Hof wore a specially designed whole body garment, that was infused with temperature controlled water. Water of various temperatures (either cold water, or water with a temperature within the range of the normal core body temperature) was then intermittently infused into the garment. While Hof wore this garment, he was placed in an MR scanner.
This experiment took place over several days, and while Hof underwent the same procedure as described on two different sessions, these sessions varied in one way; while he underwent the task passively on the first day within actively doing anything while in the MR scanner, on the second day, he actively used the breathing and mindfulness techniques that he advocates as part of his Wim Hof Method. In addition to Hof, twenty healthy control participants were also invited to undergo a similar procedure as Wim Hof. However, the controls were only investigated in the passive condition, without using the Wim Hof method.
The results of the study showed that when Wim Hof did not perform his breathing techniques and mindful meditation while in the MR scanner, his skin temperature dropped around 2 degrees celsius when the water in the garments got colder. This was the same for the control participants, who also did not perform the Wim Hof Method. When the temperature increased to basal core body temperature, the skin temperature of the participants, including Hof, also returned to basal core body temperature. However, when the Iceman did perform his method, the same fluctuations in skin temperature was not seen.
Furthermore, in terms of the neuroimaging findings, as compared to the controls, Wim Hof showed an increase in BOLD signal in the periaqueductal gray area when he engaged in his technique. This finding suggests that his techniques during cold exposure may allow him to activate primary control centers for descending pain (cold) stimuli modulation in the PAG, which may reflect a stress-induced analgesic. Also, as compared to controls, Hof showed a decrease in BOLD signals in the left anterior and right middle insula, when he performed his technique, which suggests that his technique engages these higher-order cortical areas, which are associated with self-reflection and facilitate internal focus and sustained attention in the presence of aversive (in this case, cold) external stimuli.
While these findings may suggest the efficacy of the Wim Hof method in self-modulating one’s thermoregulation, there are however some limitations of this study. These are discussed in detail in the video. Nevertheless, despite these limitations, the Wim Hof Method has had positive effects on millions of people worldwide. Therefore, we believe that it warrants further investigation and a systematic analysis in a large study sample.
Reference:
Muzik, O., Reilly, K. T., & Diwadkar, V. A. (2018). “Brain over body”-A study on the willful regulation of autonomic function during cold exposure. NeuroImage, 172, 632 - 641. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.01.067
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Are you sure hyperventilating increases the oxygen uptake of the brain 😅?

[@joserodriguez-pu9ev]

After,no during the hyper,homeoestasis

[@Nomadbushman]

But what is wim.actually doing that allows him to generate heat? He never explains it clearly

[@dhruvsingh-dd5zb]

search on youtube or google you will find it but basically his area at the back of the ribs burns glucose to produce heat