Why Your Brain Freezes From Ice Cream

That sudden sharp pain from eating ice cream is not actually in your brain. It is a referred pain caused by rapid blood vessel changes in your palate reacting to sudden cold.

When something very cold touches the roof of your mouth, your body mistakenly interprets the sensation as coming from your forehead. Your blood vessels quickly constrict and then dilate to keep your brain warm, triggering nearby nerves. This reflex happens to help protect the brain from extreme temperature drops. You can often stop the pain quickly by pressing your warm tongue against the roof of your mouth.