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( Brain)
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate, and most invertebrate, animals. Some primitive animals such as jellyfish and starfish have a decentralized nervous system without a brain, while sponges lack any nervous system at all. In vertebrates, the brain is located in the head, protected by the skull and close to the primary sensory apparatus of vision, hearing, balance, taste, and smell. Brains can be extremely complex. The human brain contains roughly 100 billion neurons, linked with up to 10,000 synaptic connections each. These neurons communicate with one another by means of long protoplasmic fibers called axons, which carry trains of signal pulses called action potentials to distant parts of the brain or body and target them to specific recipient cells. From a philosophical point of view, it might be said that the most important function of the brain is to serve as the physical structure underlying the mind. From a biological point of view, though, the most important function is to generate behaviors that promote the welfare of an animal. Brains control behavior either by activating muscles, or by causing secretion of chemicals such as hormones. Even single-celled organisms may be capable of extracting information from the environment and acting in response to it.[1] Sponges, which lack a central nervous system, are capable of coordinated body contractions and even locomotion.[2] In vertebrates, the spinal cord by itself contains neural circuitry capable of generating reflex responses as well as simple motor patterns such as swimming or walking.[3] However, sophisticated control of behavior on the basis of complex sensory input requires the information-integrating capabilities of a centralized brain. Despite rapid scientific progress, much about how brains work remains a mystery. The operations of individual neurons and synapses are now understood in considerable detail, but the way they cooperate in ensembles of thousands or millions has been very difficult to decipher. Methods of observation such as EEG recording and functional brain imaging tell us that brain operations are highly organized, but these methods do not have the resolution to reveal the activity of individual neurons. Thus, even the most fundamental principles of neural network computation may to a large extent remain for future investigators to discover.[4]
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Brain Subcategories
Brain Health - Mental Health > >
Brain Articles
Helmets May Increase Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Soldiers Following IED by Peter Kent
Helmets May Increase Traumatic Brain Injuries Among Soldiers Following IED Explosions
Recently, the American Institute of Physics reported a grave new discovery that U.S. soldier helmets may be acting as "focusing mechanisms" during improv...
The True Dangers of Stress by Dale Odeyemi
Most people in today's fast-paced world could not imagine life without stress. While stress is a normal reaction in some situations, a constant cycle of stress is dangerous and cannot be sustained. Stress starts in your brain and sends signals to a...
How to Let Go of Your Troubles by Dale Odeyemi
If you feel disconnected from the world or have doubts that there is something bigger, then you can open your heart and mind to the connection you, I and everything in the world have. The thought of controlling nothing and letting go can be so scary...
Key to regulation of puberty discovered by bayho bayho
The research, published in this week's Nature Genetics, identified the hormone Neurokinin B as a critical part of the control system that switches on the master regulator of human puberty. Although Neurokinin B was previously known to be present in t...
Accidental Discovery Gives Hope To Alzheimer's Treatment by andrew clinton
During a recent experimental brain surgery to control the appetite of an obese man the doctors made an accidental breakthrough that may very well unlock how your memory works. It was simply a side-effect of the treatment of obesity, but the memory st...
Better than Ambien...Sleep with Brainwave Entrainment by Glenda Sparling
Do you know you can synchronize your brainwaves and achieve better sleep? This article from the eBook, ABZzz's of Sleeping Insomnia-Free focuses on the letter 'B' and refers to brainwave entrainment.
What is brainwave entrainment? ...
The Mediterranean Diet: Live Longer and Have a Healthier Body and Brain by Dr.Lorne S. Label
Medical studies have confirmed what was suspected for years: Both your heart and your brain will benefit from the Mediterranean style of eating. In this area of the world, the emphasis is on fresh plant-based foods that are rich in antioxidants as w...
Keeping Fit Includes Exercise for the Brain by Dr.Lorne S. Label
When most people think of exercise, they envision working out to keep their bodies physically fit and healthy. But the brain – so important to living a full life -- also needs an ongoing exercise regimen to stay agile and alert as we grow older. ...
Good Nutrition: What You Eat Affects Your Brain by Dr.Lorne S. Label
Making healthy food choices is important at any age. New medical evidence shows that what you feed your body directly affects your brain.
A “brain healthy” diet means low-fat, low cholesterol choices combined with an abundance of antioxidant...
Dementia Facts and Statistics: Present and Future by Dr.Lorne S. Label
Dementia is a subject that most people try to avoid. Just the thought of memory loss – in a loved one, friend, co-worker or, worse yet, ourselves -- makes us terribly uncomfortable. Unless we are confronted directly with dementia, we prefer to thin...
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