Awake

Dr. Christian Brogna, an internationally renowned neurosurgeon, has spent his career exploring the brain like few others. He spent ten years working in Brain Surgery departements in: France, Libya, Turkey Brazil and Great Britain.

But three years ago, a severe case of meningitis changed everything. Falling into a coma, he experienced firsthand what happens in the limbo between life and death. Trapped in unconsciousness, unable to move or speak, he made a startling discovery: the brain does not shut down—it amplifies its power. This revelation challenged everything he had been taught.

 

Today, Brogna is at the forefront of neurosurgery, specializing in awake brain surgery, where patients remain conscious—singing, speaking, or playing instruments—while he operates. His groundbreaking procedure on a musician, who played the saxophone as Brogna removed his brain tumor, made global headlines, showcasing not only the marvels of the brain but also the deep empathy between doctor and patient.

Dubbed The Brain Whisperer, Brogna now shares the extraordinary lessons he has learned from his time inside people’s minds. He explains how the brain continuously adapts, rewires, and evolves, shaping who we are.

 

Through real-life surgical cases, personal reflections, and the latest neuroscience, he explores:

·         The gut-brain connection – how gut microbiota influence cognitive function.

·         Music’s impact on the brain – enhancing memory, learning, and neural plasticity.

·         The brain and physical activity – how movement boosts cognitive function.

·         Mindfulness and mental health – how meditation alters pain perception and stress.

·         The power of language – how our words shape thought patterns and well-being.

 

Finally, Brogna reveals one of the brain’s most fascinating secrets: its infinite capacity for transformation. The brain of yesterday is not the brain of today, nor the brain of tomorrow, meaning that change is always possible.

Blending cutting-edge research with compelling patient stories and his own life journey across four continents, The Speaking Brain is a profound exploration of the mind’s mysteries—told by the surgeon who sees them unfold every day.

 

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Christian Brogna is a neurosurgeon practicing in Rome at the Quisisana Clinic. He is an expert in the surgery of brain tumors and vascular malformations. Growing up in Rome, he studied medicine and specialized in neurosurgery at “Sapienza” University of Rome under the guidance of Prof. Roberto Delfini. In 2007, he performed the first awake neuro-oncological surgery with brain mapping alongside Prof. Maurizio Salvati, after spending time with Prof. Duffau at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier in France. Dr. Christian Brogna learned the most advanced techniques in microneurosurgery and oncological surgery from Prof. U. Ture at Yeditepe University in Istanbul. In 2013, he obtained a PhD in neuroscience. Since then, Dr. Christian Brogna has contributed to the advancement of micro-surgical techniques for brain and spinal tumors, combining his knowledge of neuroanatomy under the guidance of Prof. Guilherme Ribas in São Paulo, Brazil, with the most advanced brain mapping technologies, microneurosurgery techniques, and endoscopic surgery. At King’s College Hospital in London, he researches surgical techniques aimed at improving the quality of life for patients with brain diseases. He also visits and operates at the Paideia International Hospital as a leading expert in brain tumor surgery.

 

 

Letter from the Writer, Claudia Zanella

Eighteen years ago, in a yoga center in Trastevere, I met a young doctor specializing in neurosurgery. Shy, quiet, and incredibly kind, he seemed as if he had come from another world. Every Wednesday, before class began, our group would sit cross-legged in a circle, chatting to build a sense of community. Christian mostly listened. He spoke little, but I always had the feeling that other people’s lives fascinated him more than his own.

One afternoon, breaking through his usual reserve, he shared an epiphany: once he completed his specialization, he would perform brain surgeries while keeping patients awake and talking to them. He believed this was the only way to map brain functions accurately, minimizing the risk of damage.

While others in the room reacted with polite smiles or skeptical glances, something stirred within me. I felt an urgent need to understand his vision, as if I were meant to share in it. Soon, we began meeting for tea before yoga, and our friendship deepened. He spoke with unwavering conviction about his dream of helping the sick, his gaze direct and steady, as if failure simply wasn’t an option. Watching him in class, I often wondered if, after leaving the yoga center, he was heading home—or catching a shuttle to Mars.

At the time, my life revolved around film sets. I was working as an actress while finishing my degree in Literature and Philosophy, eager to begin my journey as a writer. Then, one day, Christian completed his specialization and left for Istanbul, promising to write. But I lost my phone, he changed his number, and just like that, he disappeared.

For eighteen years, I searched for him. I asked mutual friends, scoured social media, but without his last name, I had no way to find him. To me, he remained my dreamer friend from yoga class, lost somewhere in the world.

Life moved forward. I experienced love, marriage, motherhood, divorce, and a newfound passion for natural medicine. I returned to my studies, earning a degree in Scientific Naturopathy and specializing in healthy nutrition. On the day of my thesis defense, I thought of Christian. I wanted to tell him about my new path, but my endless searches remained fruitless.

Then, one morning in May, everything changed. Sitting at a café downtown, I glanced at a newspaper—and there he was. My heart pounded as I read the story that was about to make headlines worldwide: a 35-year-old man, previously deemed inoperable due to a brain tumor, had undergone surgery while awake—playing the saxophone. The surgeon? Christian.

For the first time, I knew his last name. And in that moment, I realized that the dream he had once described in that yoga studio had become a reality—one that was now being shared with the world.

I tracked down the hospital where he worked, wrote to him, and soon found myself standing at his office door.

I don’t remember how long our hug lasted—only that it felt infinite.

We spoke for hours. He had spent years traveling the world, training under the greatest neurosurgeons: Istanbul, where he studied under a legendary mentor; France, where he mastered awake brain surgery; Brazil, where he perfected microscopic techniques; Vienna, England, and beyond. For seven years, he worked at London’s King’s College Hospital, pushing the boundaries of neurosurgery.

As he described his groundbreaking procedures, the deep empathy he cultivated with his patients, and the astonishing mysteries of the brain he was uncovering, one thought consumed me: this story needed to be told.

His journey, my words.

And so, this book was born.