Embark on a fascinating journey into the complex world of the human brain. Unravel the mysteries of this intricate organ, its structure, functions, and the pivotal role it plays in shaping our existence and experiences.
Neurotransmitters at Work
The brain is the most complex organ in the human body, the seat of intelligence, interpreter of senses, initiator of movement, and controller of behavior
- For centuries, scientists and philosophers viewed the brain as nearly incomprehensible
- Now, however, the brain is beginning to relinquish its secrets
- Scientists have learned more about the brain in the last 10 years than in all previous centuries
- Congress named the 1990s the Decade of the Brain
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that constricts blood vessels and brings on sleep
It is also involved in temperature regulation.
- Low levels of serotonin may cause sleep problems and depression, while too much serotonin can lead to seizures
- Dopamine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in mood and the control of complex movements.
The brain is one of the hardest working organs in the body. When it is healthy, it functions normally, but when problems occur, the results can be devastating.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) supports research on more than 600 neurological diseases, including neurogenetic diseases, developmental disorders, degenerative diseases of adult life, metabolic diseases, trauma, convulsive disorders, infectious diseases, and brain tumors
- Knowing more about the brain can lead to the development of new treatments for diseases and disorders of the nervous system and improve many areas of human health.
The brain is like a committee of experts
The brain can be divided into three basic units: the forebrain, the midbrain, and the hindbrain
- Forebrain: consists primarily of the cerebrum and the structures hidden beneath it
- Midbrain: includes the spinal cord, the brain stem, and a wrinkled ball of tissue called the cerebellum
- Cervical hemispheres communicate with each other through a thick tract of nerve fibers that lies at the base of a deep fissure
- Cerebellum coordinates movement and is involved in learned rote movements
- Endivebrain: the largest and most developed part of the brain and is the source of intellectual activities
- When people see pictures of their brains, they usually notice the cervical regions
- Two frontal lobes (frontal and parietal lobes) control voluntary movement
- Broca’s area allows thoughts to be transformed into words
- Primary sensory areas receive information about temperature, taste, touch, movement from the rest of the body
- Reading and arithmetic are also functions in the repertoire of each parietal lobe
Neurons consist of three parts:
The cell body (13) contains the nucleus, where most of the molecules that the neuron needs to survive and function.
- Dendrites (14) extend out from the cell body like the branches of a tree and receive messages from other nerve cells (15).
- Signals then pass from dendrites through cell body and may travel away from cell body down an axon to another neuron, a muscle cell, or cells in some other organ, usually surrounded by many support cells.
