Trepanation, an ancient practice involving drilling, cutting, or scraping holes into a person’s skull, has been around since prehistoric times, making it one of the oldest surgical procedures known to mankind. The true purpose behind our ancestors performing trepanation remains unclear, with various theories suggesting it may have been used to treat headaches, epilepsy, or even as part of spiritual rituals.
In Western medicine, trepanation was utilized up until the 19th century as a means of treating head traumas, such as skull fractures or brain swelling. The idea was that creating a hole in the skull could relieve pressure on the brain or allow for the drainage of blood or other fluids that might have accumulated due to injury.
Is it possible to increase someone’s mental abilities by trepanation? Does the idea have any credible evidence in favor or against it?
Inside of your head, your body maintains a very careful homeostasis of pressure. Your brain’s intracranial pressure is vital for its well-being, and is maintained at a relatively constant level. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) will accumulate if the level is too low. When you have a decrease in brain mass, CSF will occupy the extra space, as in Alzheimer’s disease. Hydrocephalus occurs when there is a blockage in drainage. It’s always a bad idea. The pressure would not be affected by trepanation. It may cause a hydrocephalus by destroying some subarachnoid granulations that absorb CSF.
I remember playing with a cranial drill bit in some wood. The drill worked as long as it was pressed against something hard (such as bone). Once it punched through, it stopped. Back then, they probably didn’t have that, so they probably went too far with the drill.