Blunt head impact causes a temperature rise in the brain

A magnetic resonance imaging-based finite-element model is employed to assess the temperature in the human brain due to blunt head trauma. The model is based on a coupled thermoelasticity under small strain and Fourier or Maxwell-Cattaneo heat conduction assumptions, accompanied by a standard coupling of thermal fields to mechanics. It is found that mechanical impacts on the forehead cause a temperature rise of up to 0.3°C above the reference homogeneous temperature field.