BRAIN HEALTH - BRAIN HEALTHYOUR AMAZING BRAIN

Your brain is arguably the most fascinating organ in your body. Think of it as a super-computer that orchestrates your every movement, reflex and thought. Your brain controls body tem-perature, blood pressure, heart rate and breathing. It directs your muscles and nerves, and processes a never-ending flood of information about the world around you. It sorts and stores memories, allows you to make deci-sions, and gives you the ability to communicate through speech. Your brain also lets you dream, invent and experience emotions. All of these tasks are coordinated, controlled and regulated by an organ that weighs just three pounds.

Your brain consists of approximately 100 billion nerve cells known as neurons, which function, basically, as on/off switches. If a neuron is turned on, it shoots an electrical signal through an axon, an appendage of the cell that is like a cable or wire. When the signal gets to the end of the axon, it stimulates tiny sacs that release chemicals known as neurotransmitters. These neurotransmitters then cross a gap called a synapse and attach them-selves to receptors on the neighboring cell. If the receiving cell is also a neu-ron, the signal can continue to travel to the next cell. At any given moment, millions of neurons are sending messages to various parts of your body, causing a multitude of voluntary and involuntary reactions.

Neurons are made up of three basic parts:

•     Cell body: Like cells in the rest of the body, neurons contain a nucleus that houses DNA, ribosomes that build proteins, and mitochondria that produce energy. If these crucial processes in the cell body become impaired, the neuron will die.
•     Axon: This long, cable-like projection carries the electrochemical message from the cell body to the synapse. Depending upon the type of neuron, axons can be covered with a thin layer of myelin, a fatty insulation that protects the axon and increases the transmission speed of electrical signals. Myelinated neurons are typically found in the peripheral nervous system. Unmyelinated neurons are found in the brain and spinal cord. The end of the axon is called an axon terminal.
•     Dendrites: These small "branches" project from the cell body and collect chemical messages (via neurotransmitters) from the axon terminals of adjacent neurons. If the chemical messages are strong enough, they will cause the cell to fire an electrical signal down the axon to another neuron's dendrites. These connections allow neurons to communicate with other cells and interpret information from internal and external sources.

Even though all neurons contain these three components, all neurons are not the same. There are several types and each has a different function.

•     Sensory neurons carry signals from the outer parts of your body (the periphery) to the central nervous system (the spinal cord and brain).
•     Motor neurons carry signals from the central nervous system to the periphery (muscles, skin, glands) of your body.
•     Receptors sense the environment (light, sound, and touch) and encode this information into electrochemical messages that are transmitted by sensory neurons.
•     Interneurons connect various neurons within the brain and spinal cord.

Regions of The Brain

Just as neurons have different jobs and abilities, so do the different regions of the brain. The brain can be divided into three areas: the fore-brain, the cerebellum and the brain stem. Each area is associated with a distinct set of functions.

The forebrain is responsible for all higher functions of the brain, like rea-soning and problem solving. The forebrain includes the cerebrum and the diencephalon (located in the middle of the brain). The cerebral cortex of the cerebrum contains four regions, which each perform different tasks.

The frontal lobe sits right behind your forehead, at the front of the cerebral cortex. It is responsible for performing executive functions, such as problem solving. It also contains the primary motor cortex, a region that plans and executes movement, as well as a portion of Broca's area an area of the brain responsible for speech, language processing and language comprehension.

The parietal lobe sits at the top, or crown, of your head, right behind the frontal lobe and is the primary sensory area of the brain. This is where nerve impulses carrying sensations of pain, temperature, touch and pres-sure travel to. Areas in the parietal lobe are also involved in spatial orien-tation, speech and language development, and attention.

The temporal lobe is below the frontal and parietal lobes (toward the ears), and above the hindbrain (the bottom area of the brain at the back of the head). The temporal lobe is where the majority of sensory processing occurs specifically the processing of information from multiple senses, especially hearing and vision. The temporal lobe also contains a neural structure called the hippocampus, which plays a key role in the formation of long-term memories.

The occipital lobe, the fourth and final region of the cerebral cortex, is located behind the parietal and temporal lobes. It sits at the back of the skull and above the hindbrain. This region contains the primary visual cor-tex and is critical for sight.

The diencephalon, which is the second major region of the forebrain, is located inside the casing of the cerebral cortex and includes two key structures, the thalamus and the hypothalamus. The thalamus acts like a switchboard for the brain. Most sensory information passes through this area before arriving at the appropriate area of the cerebral cortex. The hypothalamus secretes and regulates the secretion of neurohor-mones and endocrine hormones. It also appears to control basic sur-vival responses, such as the "fight or flight" response, hunger, thirst and sexual responses.


The cerebellum is the main structure of the hindbrain, situated at the base of the brain and the top of the spinal cord. The cerebellum controls our balance and physical stability, and is involved in motor coordination and the development of "muscle memory."

The brain stem is the most primitive part of the brain and includes the midbrain, pons, and the medulla oblongata. The midbrain is involved in processing visual and auditory information. It also controls eye move-ment. The pons bridges the cerebellum and brain stem, and helps coordi-nate breathing, blood pressure, sleep and waking. The medulla oblongata connects the brain to the spinal cord and controls the most basic bodily functions, such as breathing and blood circulation.

When we are young, all of these pieces and parts should be function-ing optimally. Our brains easily soak up new information. Our powers of deduction, reaction times, and our ability to learn and remember are at their best. As we age, some of these capabilities seem to wane, but forgetfulness and cognitive decline are not a certainty. There are some simple steps you can take now to ensure a better brain for years to come.