Amazing facts about the human brain. Facts and myths about the human brain
There are many myths and many amazing facts about how our brain works. The Daily Mail talks about the most curious secrets of the gray matter.
Fact: A person cannot tickle himself. The fact is that the human brain is tuned to the perception of external stimuli, so as not to miss important signals in the stream of sensations caused by the actions of the person himself.
Fact: Looking at a photograph is harder than playing chess. The fact is that it is often quite difficult for a person to identify visual objects. A glimpse of an object can easily be mistaken for something else. For example, a figure of a person standing on an unlit road may well turn out to be a road sign.
Myth: A person can only use 10% of their brain. Despite the divergence of this opinion, in fact, a person uses the full potential of his brain every day. Various studies have shown that even for a simple task, almost all parts of the brain are activated.
Fact: Yawning helps the brain wake up. Yawning is often associated with lack of sleep and boredom, but it actually helps a person wake up. Yawning expands the windpipe, which allows the lungs to take in more oxygen, which then moves into the blood, making us more alert.
Myth: Blind people hear better. Studies have shown that the blind hear faint sounds no better than anyone else. However, the blind have a better developed auditory memory. They quickly understand the meaning of a sentence in a foreign language, and also better determine the source of the sound.
Fact: Computer games teach you to do several things at the same time. The best source of training the ability to perform several tasks at the same time are computer games. In shooters, for example, it is necessary to shoot as many enemies as possible, advancing from different parties. Games make people pay attention and react with lightning speed to the slightest changes in the situation.
Myth: The bigger the brain, the bigger the mind. Brain size does not affect intellectual ability person. However, according to researchers, the mind depends on synapses - the contacts between neurons. The number of synapses grows in childhood and adolescence human life and affects the intellect.
Fact: Exercise helps keep your brain fit. Regular exercise increases the number of capillaries in the brain, which allows more oxygen and glucose to be delivered. Former athletes lose mental health with age much less often than others. To be effective, exercise should last at least 30 minutes several times a week.
Fact: The human brain uses less energy than a light bulb in a refrigerator. Messages between brain cells are transmitted using electrical signals. This uses 12 watts of energy - less than a light bulb in a refrigerator.
Fact: A stupid song is very hard to forget. The brain remembers the daily routine of a person, from making coffee to the road that he must take to get home. The ability to remember this sequence makes it possible for everyday human life. Often the brain automatically includes the heard melody in this algorithm and periodically reminds it to the person.
The calsarin groove was easily identified in the spider monkey. On the other hand, using the same cross-sectional frequency, one can only with difficulty visualize this furrow in a human. No animals were harmed as a result of this study. National Technical University of Mexico: Mexico City.
The proposed mechanism of emotion. External brain morphology of primates. Charles S Thomas: Springfield. The brain of a rhesus monkey in stereotaxic coordinates. Academic Press: San Diego, California. National University of Mexico State. Comparative and functional myology of the prehensile tail in new mundane monkeys. Functional morphology of the new world tail monkeys. Human brain. Theon connection and socialization. Trends in chronobiology. In: Handbook of Human Symbolic Evolution.
More Interesting Facts about the human brain.
1. The brain, like muscles, the more you train it, the more it grows. The brain of an average adult male weighs 1424 g, with old age the mass of the brain decreases to 1395 g. The largest in weight female brain- 1565. Record weight of the male brain - 2049. The brain of I. S. Turgenev weighed 2012. The brain evolves: in 1860 average weight of the male brain was 1372. Lightest weight normal non-atrophied brain belonged to a 31-year-old woman - 1096. Dinosaurs, reaching 9 m in length, had a brain the size of Walnut and weighing only 70 g.
2. The most rapid development of the brain occurs between the ages of 2 and 11 years.
3. Regular prayer reduces the frequency of breathing and normalizes the wave vibrations of the brain, contributing to the process of self-healing of the body. Believers go to the doctor 36% less often than the rest.
4. The more educated a person is, the less likely they are to have brain diseases. Intellectual activity causes the production of additional tissue to compensate for the diseased.
5. Engaging in unfamiliar activities - The best way brain development. Associating with those who are superior to you in intelligence is also potent agent brain development.
6. Signals in nervous system people reach a speed of 288 km / h. By old age, the speed decreases by 15 percent.
7. Most high level intellectual development(IQ) demonstrated by Marilyn Much Vos Savant of Missouri, who at the age of ten already had average IQ for 23 year olds. She managed to pass the most difficult test for entry into the privileged Mega Society, which includes only about three dozen people with such high rate IQ, which is found in only 1 person in a million.
8. The highest average national IQ in the world for the Japanese is 111. Ten percent of Japanese have a score above 130.
9 Super-photographic memory belongs to Creighton Carvello, who is able to memorize the sequence of cards at once in six separate decks (312 pieces) at a glance.
Dry Garlic Extract is obtained from a prolonged hydroethanolic extraction of garlic cloves and is recognized for its high antioxidant content. Although evidence suggests that stale garlic extract delays damage caused by cerebral ischemia, the molecular mechanisms behind this effect are unclear. A moderate concentration of reactive oxygen species induces the expression of glucose transporter 1, which in astrocytosis maintains brain metabolism. This suggests that a decrease in the formation of excess reactive oxygen species during severe ischemia may indicate neuroprotection.
How many bones are in the skull?
And you know that scull The human body is made up of 22 bones, which are divided into cranial and facial bones. The skull, in turn, consists of 8 bones: the frontal bone, two parietal and two temporal bones, the occipital bone behind the ethmoid bone behind the nose and the sphenoid bone. The facial skeleton consists of 14 bones, which include the upper and lower jaws.
Rats were subjected to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 2 h to obtain ischemia and then sacrificed after different periods reperfusion. Key words: aged garlic extract, glucose transporter, antioxidants, cerebral ischemia, astrocytes.
Excessive production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria significantly affects early stages cell death during cerebral ischemia. Antioxidant therapies are considered a potential approach to improve ischemia-induced injury due to their primary ability to reduce oxidative stress.
Big head - a lot of mind?
Skull protects brain, which in an average adult weighs 1375 g. The brain of the Russian writer Turgenev weighed 2021 g, the brain of Bismarck 1807, and the brain of the French statesman Gambett - only 1294 g. The brain of women is somewhat smaller than the brain of men. The largest recorded brain of a woman weighed 1742. The weight of the brain of the great physicist Einstein is 1230.
Glucose, the main energy substrate in the brain, is transported into cells via facilitated diffusion mediated by members of the glucose transporter family. Under pathological conditions, astrocytes modify gene expression to help maintain neighboring neurons.
Garlic has been used in traditional medicine due to its diverse biological activities, which include a major antioxidant effect. Dry garlic extract is an odorless product obtained after soaking fresh garlic in ethanol for at least two years.
Brain an elephant weighs 5000 g, and a whale 10,000 g. In relation to the body, the whale has a much smaller brain than a human. This gave man an advantage until it was found that 1 g of the brain of a pygmy monkey controls 27 g of the body, and in the capuchin monkey 1 g of brain per 17.5 g of the body, while 1 g of the human brain controls 44 g of its body.
What is more difficult - the brain or the computer?
All secondary antibodies were obtained from the Jackson Inmuno study. All other reagents were obtained from known commercial sources. Briefly, the animals were anesthetized with isoflurane. The left common carotid artery was exposed at the level of the bifurcation of the external and internal carotid arteries. Body temperature was maintained at 37 ± 5°C throughout the entire procedure. Two hours after induction of ischemia, the thread was removed to allow reperfusion.
The animals were then returned to their cages and monitored until they recovered from anesthesia. The whole fronto-parietal cortex was digested and homogenized in lysis buffer containing a mixture of phosphatase and protease inhibitors. Lysates were assessed for protein concentration using Lowry's protein assay. Proteins were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes. Brain tissue was cut into sections with a thickness of 10 μm using a cryostat. Brain cheeks were mounted on gelatin-coated slides and dried at 56°C for 30 min.
The human brain consists of more than 100 billion neurons (nerve cells) through which commands from the brain are transmitted in the form electrical impulses. These impulses travel through the body at about 270 km/h, producing enough electricity to light a light bulb. The brain absorbs energy more than any other organ, burning a fifth of the food we consume.
Data are presented as mean and standard deviation. For statistical evaluations, analysis of variance and Tukey's post-hoctor analysis were used. For example, in rabbits, anatanoacetic extract causes the maximum hypoglycemic effect after 4 hours of administration of the extract.
Figure Effect of aged garlic extract on glucose transporter 1 protein expression in glial fibrillar acid protein positive astrocytes. The anatomical position of the cortex was analyzed. Rats were subjected to occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 2 hours and sacrificed after 2 hours of reperfusion.
It has been established that the mental abilities of 100 summer man with excellent memory can be compared to a computer with a capacity of 10 to 15 bits (one petabit). With today's trends in the development of computer chips, this figure could reach 35 years. Be that as it may, it expresses only the amount of memory, but not a huge variety of thought processes and emotions.
None of the authors have a conflict of interest to disclose. The human brain is the command center for the human nervous system. It receives input from the sense organs and sends the result to the muscles. The human brain has the same basic structure as other mammalian brains, but is larger in relation to body size than any other brain.
The human brain is the largest brain of all vertebrates in relation to body size. It contains billions of nerve fibers - "white matter" These neurons are connected by trillions of connections or synapses.
- He weighs about 3 pounds.
- The brain makes up about 2 percent of a person's body weight.
- The stabbing brain makes up 85 percent of the weight of the brain.
- It contains about 86 billion nerve cells - "gray matter".
How much information can fit in the human brain?
The human brain is able to remember 5 times more information than is contained in the Encyclopedia Britannica. Or any other encyclopedia. Scientists have yet to establish the exact volume, but it is already known that, translated into computer terminology, the brain can hold from 3 to 1000 terabytes. The National British Archive, for example, which describes 900 years of history, takes up only 70 terabytes - evaluate the potential of your brain.
Below lies the brain circuit, and behind it sits the cerebellum. Like all vertebrate brains, the human brain develops from three sections known as the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. Each of these contains fluid-filled cavities called ventricles. The forebrain develops into the cerebrum and its underlying structures; the midbrain becomes part of the brainstem; and the hindbrain gives rise to brainstem and cerebellum regions.
The cerebral cortex is greatly expanded in the human brain and is considered the seat of complex thought. Visual processing takes place in occipital lobe, near the back of the skull. The temporal lobe processes sounds and language, and includes the hippocampus and amygdala, which play roles in memory and emotion, respectively. The parietal lobe integrates the input of various senses and has importance for spatial orientation and navigation.
The brain does not feel pain
The brain itself does not feel pain. Of course, it reacts when you cut your finger or burn yourself, but it does not have pain receptors and, therefore, it does not feel pain. But this does not save you from a headache - the brain is surrounded by many tissues, nerves and blood vessels, which are very sensitive to pain.
The brain is 80% water
The main functions of the brain are: the transfer of information between the brain and the body; supplying part of the cranial nerves to the face and head; and critical functions in controlling the heart, breathing, and consciousness. The thalamus transmits sensory and motor signals to the cortex and is involved in the regulation of consciousness, sleep, and alertness.
The hypothalamus connects the nervous system to where hormones are produced through the pituitary gland. The cerebellum lies below the cerebrum and has important functions in motor control. It plays a role in coordination and balance and may also have some cognitive functions.
For many, the brain is associated with a hard gray mass that resembles a walnut. But the living brain is a marsh-pink jelly-like organ, in the tissues of which there is a lot of water and blood. The next time you're thirsty, don't forget that your brain needs water too.
The brain "breathes" more intensively than other organs
The mass of the brain is only 2% of the total body weight, but it consumes 20% of the oxygen that circulates in the blood - more than any other organ. This makes it very susceptible to oxygen deprivation damage. So breathe deeply!
The main differences between human and animal brains are their size, said Eric Holland, a neurosurgeon and oncology biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the University of Washington in Seattle. The more complex the brain, the more weights and sulci, or hills and valleys, that is, Holland said. Other intelligent animals, such as monkeys and dolphins, also have these folds in their cortex, while mice have smooth brains, he said.
Holland said humans also have the largest frontal lobes of any animal. The frontal lobes are associated with higher-level functions such as self-control, planning, logic and abstract thought - basically "what makes us especially human," he said.
Nerve cells regenerate
Neurons grow throughout life. For many years, scientists believed that neurons and nervous tissue were unable to grow or repair themselves. It turns out that this is not so, although the nervous tissue behaves differently than other tissues of the human body - neurons grow throughout life and this fact has opened a new page in the field of research on the brain and its diseases.
The human brain is divided into two hemispheres, left and right, connected by a bundle of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum. The hemispheres are strongly, although not completely, symmetrical. The left brain controls all the muscles on right side body; and the right brain controls the left side. One hemisphere can be slightly dominant, like the left or right.
Popular ideas about the properties of the "left brain" and "right brain" are generalizations that are not well supported by evidence. However, there are some important differences between these areas. The left brain contains regions involved in speech and language and is also associated with math and fact finding, says Holland. The right brain plays a role in visual and auditory processing, spatial skills and artistic ability- more instinctive or creative things, - said Holland, - although these functions are associated with the hemispheres. “Everyone uses both halves all the time,” he said.
The brain never sleeps
The brain is much more active at night than during the day. It seems illogical, because during the day we move, he is busy with calculations, solving challenging tasks at work, which should force him to work harder than during sleep. It turns out that the opposite is true. When you "switch off", the brain "turns on". Scientists do not yet understand why this is so, but you should thank your brain for working while you sleep.
Like other major scientific efforts such as the human genome project, although expensive, it is usually worth the investment, says Holland. Scientists hope that enhanced understanding will lead to new ways to treat, treat, and prevent brain disorders. The project involves representatives of a number of government agencies, including National institutions health care, the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, as well as private research organizations, including the Allen Institute for Brain Research in Seattle, Washington and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
The number of dreams depends on IQ
Scientists say that the higher your IQ, the more dreams you have. If so, then you should not worry if you cannot remember what you dreamed about. Most of us do not remember dreams well, because they last no more than 2-3 seconds.
But, keep in mind that with all the many processes that the brain performs, only one thought can come to you at one time. So make this thought positive.
When the project was announced, President Obama convened a panel to evaluate the ethical issues surrounding brain research. Some researchers doubt the achievement of this initiative. claim that it will provide the missing piece in how the brain works at the level between single neurons and the entire brain, although they claim that the project does not have clear goals and may filter funding from other research.
Find out more about human body. You won't believe how amazing the brain is and we've got the coolest brain facts right here. Have you ever wondered who the boss is? Well, of course it's your mom or dad, but the boss of your body is your mighty brain!
More interesting facts about the human brain.
1. The brain, like muscles, the more you train it, the more it grows. The brain of an average adult male weighs 1424 g; by old age, the mass of the brain decreases to 1395 g.
2. The most rapid development of the brain occurs between the ages of 2 and 11 years.
3. Regular prayer reduces the frequency of breathing and normalizes the wave vibrations of the brain, contributing to the process of self-healing of the body. Believers go to the doctor 36% less often than the rest.
4. Than more educated person the lower the risk of brain disease. Intellectual activity causes the production of additional tissue to compensate for the diseased.
5. Engaging in unfamiliar activities is the best way to develop the brain. Associating with those who are superior to you in intelligence is also a powerful means of developing the brain.
6. Signals in the human nervous system reach a speed of 288 km/h. By old age, the speed decreases by 15 percent.
7. The highest level of intellectual development (IQ) was demonstrated by Marilyn Much Vos Savant from Missouri, who at the age of ten already had an average IQ for a 23-year-old. She managed to pass the most difficult test for entry into the privileged Mega Society, which includes only about three dozen people with such a high IQ that only 1 person in a million has.
8. The highest average national IQ in the world for the Japanese is 111. Ten percent of Japanese have a score above 130.
9. Super-photographic memory belongs to Creighton Carvello, who is able to memorize the sequence of cards at once in six separate decks (312 pieces) at a glance.
It helps you remember how to get to your friend's house, makes you blink without thinking, and even controls your dreams. Read on, you will be seriously surprised, oh and your brain will be working overtime! First your eyes check what's going on and then tell your brain how fast you need to react and then your muscles kick into action. This is a very fast time and only from one small organ in our bodies. No computer could come close to that! The brain weighs only 3 pounds and is a wrinkled, pink organ that looks a bit like a soft mushroom. But this magical machine controls everything you do, from thinking, learning, feeling emotions, even breathing and heart rate. Although the brain only makes up 2% of your body weight, it uses about 20% of all your energy from the blood and oxygen in your body. Your brain stops growing when you're 18, but don't call your parents stupid just yet. It actually continues to evolve and learn new things until you reach your 40s. Did you know that your brain actually produces enough electricity to power a light bulb? It would be great to know how to actually turn on that light bulb with our brains, maybe someday we will find out. In our brains, about 100 billion tiny little cells are called neurons. They send all this crazy information to your brain at over 150 miles per hour. But if you need to act quickly, motor neurons can send information at over 200 miles per hour. There will be literally heaps of messages charging around your brain every second, just like a supercharged pinball machine. The elephant's brain is much larger than the human brain, but it is only 15% of total weight. So when you compare this to our brains, which take up 2% of our weight, we still have the largest brain up to body size!
- Do you think the computer is best thing in the world?
- Think it's very fast and everything can do?
- Consider when you need to be in a hurry, maybe the glass is about to fall off the table.
- Your brain controls everything you need to do to save glass.
- Hmm, not sure if we want to touch it too much!
- It is about 6 inches long, about 5 inches wide, and almost 4 inches deep.
- This is one very complex organ that long years baffled scientists.
- That's a lot for such a small organ.
- So your parents are really super smart!
- You cannot fool them.
- Ever seen a picture of a man with a light bulb over his head?
- Well, this fact puts a whole new light on these photos.
- There are neurons in your brain that tell you everything to do.
- They send more messages than all phones in the world.
- No one understands why, that's the way it is.
- No wonder we're better than supercomputers!
- Our brains are three times larger than those of chimpanzees.
- Wow, we are obviously the most smart people on the planet.
- What are we thinking about in the world?
One of the videos about the central nervous system and the brain