BRAIN STUDY

UNDERSTANDING HOW THE BRAIN WORKS

It's important to understand the complexity of the human brain. The human brain weighs only three pounds but is estimated to have about 100 billion cells. It is hard to get a handle on a number that large (or connections that small). Let's try to get an understanding of this complexity by comparing it with something humans have created--the entire phone system for the planet. If we took all the phones in the world and all the wires (there are over four billion people on the planet), the number of connections and the trillions of messages per day would NOT equal the complexity or activity of a single human brain. Now let's take a "small problem"--break every phone in Michigan and cut every wire in the state. How long would it take for the entire state (about 15 million people) to get phone service back? A week, a month, or several years? If you guessed several years, you are now beginning to see the complexity of recovering from a head injury. In the example I used, Michigan residents would be without phone service while the rest of the world had phone service that worked fine. This is also true with people who have a head injury. Some parts of the brain will work fine while others are in need of repair or are slowly being reconnected.

AN ELECTRICAL AND CHEMICAL MACHINE Let's start looking at the building blocks of the brain. As previously stated, the brain consists of about 100 billion cells. Most of these cells are called neurons. A neuron is basically an on/off switch just like the one you use to control the lights in your home. It is either in a resting state (off) or it is shooting an electrical impulse down a wire (on). It has a cell body, a long little wire (the "wire" is called an axon), and at the very end it has a little part that shoots out a chemical. This chemical goes across a gap (synapse) where it triggers another neuron to send a message. There are a lot of these neurons sending messages down a wire (axon). By the way, each of these billions of axons is generating a small amount of electrical charge; this total power has been estimated to equal a 60 watt bulb. Doctors have learned that measuring this electrical activity can tell how the brain is working. A device that measures electrical activity in the brain is called an EEG (electroencephalograph). Each of the billions of neurons "spit out" chemicals that trigger other neurons. Different neurons use different types of chemicals. These chemicals are called "transmitters" and are given names like epinephrine, norepinephrine, or dopamine. Pretty simple, right? Well, no. Even in the simplified model that I'm presenting, it gets more complex.

IS THE BRAIN ONE BIG COMPUTER? Is the brain like a big phone system (because it has a lot of connections) or is it one big computer with ON or OFF states (like the zeros and ones in a computer)? Neither of the above is correct. Let's look at the brain using a different model. Let's look at the brain as an orchestra. In an orchestra, you have different musical sections. There is a percussion section, a string section, a woodwind section, and so on. Each has its own job to do and must work closely with the other sections. When playing music, each section waits for the conductor. The conductor raises a baton and all the members of the orchestra begin playing at the same time playing on the same note. If the drum section hasn't been practicing, they don't play as well as the rest of the orchestra. The overall sound of the music seems "off" or plays poorly at certain times. This is a better model of how the brain works. We used to think of the brain as a big computer, but it's really like millions of little computers all working together. GETTING INFORMATION IN AND OUT OF THE BRAIN How does information come into the brain? A lot of information comes in through the spinal cord at the base of the brain. Think of a spinal cord as a thick phone cable with thousands of phone lines. If you cut that spinal cord, you won't be able to move or feel anything in your body. Information goes OUT from the brain to make body parts (arms and legs) do their job. There is also a great deal of INCOMING information (hot, cold, pain, joint sensation, etc.). Vision and hearing do not go through the spinal cord but go directly into the brain. Thats why people can be completely paralyzed (unable to move their arms and legs) but still see and hear with no problems. Information enters from the spinal cord and comes up the middle of the brain. It branches out like a tree and goes to the surface of the brain. The surface of the brain is gray due to the color of the cell bodies (that's why it's called the gray matter). The wires or axons have a coating on them that's colored white (called white matter). TWO BRAINS--LEFT AND RIGHT HEMISPHERE We have two eyes, two hands, and two legs, so why not two brains? The brain is divided in half, a right and left hemisphere. The right hemisphere does a different job than the left. The right hemisphere deals more with visual activities and plays a role in putting things together. For example, it takes visual information, puts it together, and says "I recognize that--that's a chair," or "that's a car" or "that's a house." It organizes or groups information together. The left hemisphere tends to be the more analytical part; it analyzes information collected by the right. It takes information from the right hemisphere and applies language to it. The right hemisphere "sees" a house, but the left hemisphere says, "Oh yeah, I know whose house that is--it's Uncle Bob's house." So what happens if one side of the brain is injured? People who have an injury to the right side of the brain "don't put things together" and fail to process important information. As a result, they often develop a "denial syndrome" and say "there's nothing wrong with me." For example, I

treated a person with an injury to the right side of the brain--specifically, the back part of the right brain that deals with visual information--and he lost half of his vision. Because the right side of the brain was injured, it failed to "collect" information, so the brain did not realize that something was missing. Essentially, this person was blind on one side but did not know it. What was scary was that this person had driven his car to my office. After seeing the results of the tests that I gave him, I asked, "Do you have a lot of dents on the left side of your car?" He was amazed that I magically knew this without seeing his car. Unfortunately, I had to ask him not to drive until his problems got better. But you can see how the right side puts things together. The left side of the brain deals more with language and helps to analyze information given to the brain. If you injure the left side of the brain, you're aware that things aren't working (the right hemisphere is doing its job) but are unable to solve complex problems or do a complex activity. People with left hemisphere injuries tend to be more depressed, have more organizational problems, and have problems using language. VISION--HOW WE SEE THINGS Information from our eyes goes to areas at the very back of the brain. We've all seen cartoons where the rabbit gets hit on the head and the rabbit sees stars. This can actually happen in human beings (trust me, not a good thing to do at home!). If you take a hard enough blow to the back of the head, this brain area bangs against back of your skull. This stimulates it and you can see stars and flashing lights. Remember those two hemispheres? Each hemisphere processes half the visual information. Visual information that we see on the left gets processed by the right hemisphere. Information on the right gets processed by the left hemisphere. Remember, wires that bring in information to the brain are "crossed"--visual information from the left goes to the right brain. MOVEMENT The area of the brain that controls movement is in a very narrow strip that goes from near the top of the head right down along where your ear is located. It's called the motor strip. If I injure that area, I'll have problems controlling half of my body. If I have a stroke in the left hemisphere of my brain, the right side of the body will stop working. If I have an injury to my right hemisphere in this area, the left side of my body stops working (remember, we have two brains). This is why one half of the face may droop when a person has had a stroke.

HEARING AND LANGUAGE

In the general population, 95 percent of people are right-handed, which means that the left hemisphere is the dominant hemisphere. (For you left-handers, the right hemisphere is dominant.) With right-handed people, the ability to understand and express language is in this left temporal lobe. If I were to take a metal probe, and charge it with just a bit of electricity, and put it on the "primary" area of my left temporal lobe, I might say "hey, I hear a tone." If I move this probe to a more complex area of the temporal lobe, I might hear a word being said. If I move the electrical probe to an even more complex area, I might hear the voice of somebody I recognize; "I hear Uncle Bob's voice." We have simple areas of the temporal lobe that deal with basic sounds and other areas of the temporal lobe that look at more complex hearing information. The right temporal lobe also deals with hearing. However, its job is to process musical information or help in the identification of noises. If this area is damaged, we might not be able to appreciate music or be able to sing. Because we tend to think and express in terms of language, the left temporal lobe is more critical for day-to-day functioning. The vision areas and the hearing areas of the brain have a boundary area where they interact. This is the area of the brain that does reading. We take the visual images and convert them into sounds. So if you injure this area (or it doesn't develop when you are very young), you get something called dyslexia. People who have dyslexia have problems that may include seeing letters backwards or have problems understanding what written words mean. SKIN SENSATION If something lands on my left hand, this information will be transmitted to the right side of my brain. It goes to the area of the brain next to the area that deals with movement. The tactile area of the brain deals with physical sensation. Movement and feeling are closely related, so it makes sense that they are next to each other in the brain. Because movement and tactile areas are located close to each other, it is not uncommon for people with a brain injuries to lose both movement and feeling in parts of their body. Remember--tactile information from the left side of the body goes to the right brain, just like movement and vision. FRONTAL LOBES--Planning, Organizing, Controlling The biggest and most advanced part of the brain is the frontal lobe. (It's called the frontal lobe because it's in the front part of brain.) One job of the frontal lobe is planning. You have probably heard of "frontal lobotomies." At the turn of the century, this surgery was done on people who were very violent or who were in a psychiatric hospital because they were very agitated. Doctors used surgery to damage this area of the brain. Following this surgery, people became very passive and less violent. At first, scientists saw this as a great thing. Neurosurgery could stop behavioral problems such as violence. The problem was that the patients stopped doing a lot of other things. They didn't take care of themselves and

they stopped many activities of daily living. They basically sat there. In head injury, individuals with frontal lobe impairment seem to lack motivation and have difficulty doing any task that requires multiple steps (e.g., fixing a car or planning a meal). They have problems with planning. The frontal lobe is also involved in organizing. For a lot of activities, we need to do step A, then step B, then step C. We have to do things in order. That's what the frontal lobes help us do. When the frontal lobe is injured, there is a breakdown in the ability to sequence and organize. A common example is people who cook and leave out a step in the sequence. They forget to add an important ingredient or they don't turn the stove off. I've met a lot of patients who've burned or melted a lot of pans. Additionally, the frontal lobes also play a very important role in controlling emotions. Deep in the middle of the brain are sections that control emotions. They're very primitive emotions that deal with hunger, aggression, and sexual drive. These areas send messages to other parts of the brain to DO SOMETHING. If you're mad, hit something or someone. If you're hungry, grab something and eat it. The frontal lobes "manage" emotions. In general, the frontal lobe has a NO or STOP function. If your emotions tell you to punch your boss, it's the frontal lobes that say "STOP or you are going to lose your job." People have often said to me "a little thing will set me off and I'm really mad." The frontal lobes failed to stop or turn off the emotional system. On the other hand, we have talked about how the frontal lobes plan activities. The frontal lobes may fail to plan for some types of emotion. For example, sexual interest involves some level of planning or preparation. Without this planning, there is a lack of sexual interest. A lack of planning can also affect the expression of anger. I've had some family members say "You know, the head injury actually improved him, he's not such a hot-head anymore." If you listen very carefully, you're also going to hear "he's not as motivated anymore." Remember, the frontal lobe plans activities as well as controls emotions

Neuro science for kids.

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html

The Blood Supply of the Brain

Food and oxygen are carried to the brain by many blood vessels. These vessels are found on the surface of the brain and deep within the brain. The blood vessels (and nerves) enter the brain through holes in the skull called foramina

Although the brain is only about 2% of the total body weight in humans, it receives 15-20% of the body's blood supply. Because brain cells will die if the supply of blood which carries oxygen is stopped, the brain has top priority for the blood. Even if other organs need blood, the body attempts to supply the brain with a constant flow of blood. The blood brings many materials necessary for the brain to function properly. The blood also removes

materials from the brain. Blood is supplied to the entire brain by 2 pairs of arteries: the internal carotid arteries and vertebral arteries. As you can see in the figure below, the right and left vertebral arteries come together at the base

of the brain to form a single basilar artery. The basilar artery joins the blood supply of the internal carotid arteries in a ring at the base of the brain. This ring of arteries is called the circle of Willis.

The circle of Willis provides a safety mechanism...if one of the arteries gets blocked, the "circle" will still provide the brain with blood. Base of the Brain

Only some of the vessels that exist in a real brain have been labeled.

Brain Attack = Stroke

You may know someone, a parent or grandparent, who has had a "stroke," also called a "brain attack." What exactly is a stroke? A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is stopped. If this happens for enough time, neurons will start to die because they will not get enough oxygen. Paralysis or aphasia (loss of speech) are possible consequences of a stroke.

There are two major causes of a stroke: 1. Blockage of a blood vessel (in the brain or neck) caused by: y a blood clot in the brain or neck (this is called a thrombosis)

y y

a blood clot from somewhere else that has moved and now blocks a blood vessel in the brain or neck (this is called an embolism) constriction or narrowing of an artery in the head or neck (this is called a stenosis)

2. Bleeding of a blood vessel (this is called hemorrhagic stroke) There are several warning signs that occur with a brain attack. (Reprinted with permission from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke y y y y y Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body. Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye. Sudden difficulty speaking or trouble understanding speech. Sudden severe headache with no known cause. Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness, or sudden falls, especially with any of the other signs.

There are several conditions linked to stroke. Reprinted with permission from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke y y y y y High blood pressure - Eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise to reduce blood pressure. Drugs are also available. Cigarette smoking - Don't start smoking and if you do smoke, quit! Heart disease - Your doctor will treat your heart disease and may also prescribe medication to help prevent the formation of clots. Diabetes - Treatment can delay complications that increase the risk of stroke. Transient ischemic attacks - These are brief episodes of stroke's warning signs and can be treated with drugs or surgery. y Did you know? y Each year there are 700,000 people (one every 45 seconds) in the United States who suffer a stroke. Stroke is the THIRD leading cause of death in the US and kills about 160,000 Americans each year. (Statistic from American Stroke Association The word "carotid" (carotid artery) comes from the Greek word karotis meaning "deep sleep." This is because it has been known for a long time that pressure to the carotid arteries causes animals to become sleepy. In humans, the brain uses 15-20% of the body's oxygen supply. In the African elephant nose fish, the brain uses 60% of the oxygen supply! (Source: Nilsson, G.E., Brain and body oxygen requirements of Gnathonemus perterssi, a fish with an exceptionally large brain. J. Experi. Biol., 199:603-607, 1996.)

More about stroke: y Improving Stroke Prevention and Treatment Now - Cerebrum, January, 2006

y y y y y y y y

Brain Attack. A Look at Stroke Prevention and Treatment - March-April 2005, FDA Consumer magazine Images of the brain after a stroke More facts about brain blood flow National Stroke Association StrokeCenter at Washington University School of Medicine Stanford Stroke Center Stroke - Quick Facts and Figures Stroke Relief

Tips to Increase Neurogenesis (Growing New Neurons) in Adult Brain in order to stop your Eating Disorder.This is what neuroplasticity is all about. Now, lets look at 11 major principles of how we can facilitate the processes of neurogenesis (growing new brain cells) in order to stop your eating disorder. Neurogenesis is growing new brain cells (neurons). By now you probably know that eating disorders are problems related to emotions, perception and specific neuronal pathways in your brain which related to eating disorder behaviour. And that in order to stop your eating disorder you need to create new neuronal pathways responsible for good constructive behaviour to replace the faulty neuronal pathways. 1. Learn everything you can about how the brain works. Even some basic understanding will

help you to appreciate your brains beauty as a living and constantly-developing structure with billions of neurons and its connections. When you understand what happens in your brain while you binge-purge or starve yourself you will have an idea of how to reverse it. Until you understand this process you are like a blind person who is trying to find his way home walking through the debris in the wilderness.

2. Take care of your nutrition. Your brain consumes 20% of all the oxygen, nutrients and energy

you consume. If yo u are an anorexic and dont eat (or eat little) your brain starves. It can not function properly and thats why people with anorexia stop seeing a clear picture of reality that other people see. They see themselves fatter than they are, they judge others by the way they look and how skinny they are. And their starving brain is a big contributor to it. The Brain can only function at its best when it has enough energy and nutrition to process the information. 3. Moderate physical exercise enhances neurogenesis (production of brain cells). But eating disorder sufferers have to be careful not to over exercise because many of them already do

overexercise. Always remember that when you exer cise the spending of energy increases rapidly and body needs energy to burn. Energy comes from the food we eat but when there is not enough energy from food, the body starts consuming its own tissue as an energy source. Fat burns first. But if a person does not have fat (or has very little) like an eating disorder sufferer, the body start burning muscles and other body tissues. And that is a dangerous process. It can lead to dystrophy and caxechia the syndrome is what a person looks like who has just come from a concentration camp we have all seen the pictures. Please Remember: moderate exercise is great; I dont mean running 10 miles a day. But you need to make sure that you have something to burn not just burn your muscles and brain tissue as an energy source. 4. Practice positive, future-oriented thoughts, until they become your mindset. Look forward to

every new day in a constructive way. Find and follow your main purpose in life. Stress and anxiety, no matter whether induced by external events or by your own thoughts, actually kills neurons and prevents the creation of new ones. You can think of chronic stress as the opposite of exercise: it prevents the creation of new neurons. 5. Get excited and thrive on learning and mental challenges. You have probably heard the expression Use it or lose it. And yes it does apply to the brain also. What relation this principle has on eating disorders, you may ask. The answer is everything. You see, the brain of an anorexic bulimic person is full of faulty neuronal pathways which are resp

onsible for their anorexic-bulimic behaviours. There are pathways for bingingpurging, for starving, for taking laxatives and diuretics, over exercising etc. When you start learning new constructive thing like for example, how your brain works, its anatomy and physiology etc. you actually will produce new neuronal pathways in your brain which will take the place of your old pathways and replace them. Learning can be about anything you want to learn but it has to be good, positive and constructive. Something you can share with others and teach them to do the same. The more you learn this new thing the more it becomes your new mindset and the closer you became to eating disorder recovery. 6. Find a purpose. Aim high. As far as we know humans are the only self-directed organisms on

this planet. This means we are the only ones who can make decision and exercise our own will. If you dont know what your purpose in life is dont worry. It will come if you keep focusing on finding it. And dont forget to learn about how your brain works it also will give understanding on how life has a purpose which is already created and imbedded in your mind. 7. Explore and travel. It has been proved that travelling to new locations forces you to pay more

attention to your environment. This will pull your attention away from your eating disorder and help you to develop new neuronal pathways in the brain different from what the eating disorder has created. It can also help to produce more good chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) which are responsible for your attention span. More attention will make your learning of new things easier. 8. Dont succumb to the opinions of others. Dont think that what is in the media, something said

by your neighbou r or what politicians say are true. Have your own opinion. Remember that media makes billion of dollars every week to program peoples mind by displaying womans body images that are impossible to achieve by any normal person. Most diets and other health care products which claim to improve your health dont work or work on a placebo effect only.

9. Develop and maintain stimulating friendship. This is very important for eating disorder

sufferers because gene rally eating disorder sufferers are withdrawn from others and prefer to spend time alone with their eating disorders. By spending your time with good friends you take yourself away from the eating disorder. You will also develop different neuronal pathways which if exercised regularly can replace the eating disorder pathways. 10. Remember: Laughter is the best medicine. Spend more time laughing it is healing and puts

you in a different state of mind. I recommend you even to find jokes about weight and food , laugh at it and look at the funny side of it. For example, when you see the funny side of being anorexic or bulimic you will change your attitude to your abnormal behaviour. Laughter also improves hormonal status in the body which normally suffers in anorexic-bulimic people. Laughter also helps to release good chemicals in the brain which can change your brain for the better. 11. Love. Love more, learn about what love is and how you can feel love and be loved. Learn

how to give your love to people and receive the love back. I am not talking here just about romantic love (although this is the love too). I am talking about love as a number of emotions and experiences related to a sense of strong affection and attachment. Eating disorder sufferers dont know exactly what these feelings are and it is one of the reasons they have their eating disorders. So start educating yourself about this topic and you will discover miracles.

Eat brightly colored vegetables and meats, drink plenty of fluids and increase your salt content. Read Read Read, and do a lot of complex thinking. Get poetry, and difficult books to read and figure them out. You'll feel yourself become physically tired after a while because of the work your brain is doing. When you are slowing down stop and take a break and start up again. Do drawings with contrasting colors and try to learn a new language. the second you let your mind

down is the second you let yourself down and then you begin to deteriorate. Eat healthy, exercise your body and brain, you will become more healthy and more smart.

7 Scientifically Proven Ways To Stimulate Brain Cell Growth / Neurogenesis

Created by Drew | : Boost Brain Power Neurogenesis - The birth of new neurons in the brain; also referred to as the process in which neurons are created.The growth of new brain cells occurs in the region of the brain called the hippocampus. The hippocampus is an area involved with memory, learning, and other cognitive functions. In order to live and become part of our brain, new neurons formed in the hippocampus-region need support from surrounding nutrients from blood and glial cells. Most importantly, they need support from other surrounding neurons otherwise these new brain cells will die. Though thousands of new brain cells are formed and produced via the hippocampus each and every day, many die quickly after birth. When we can keep them alive for this crucial period after birth, we are able to effectively boost the power of the human brain by adding new brain cells to the bank of existing cells. Though neurogenesis is most active during prenatal development, there is growing evidence that certain activities also induce the growth of new brain cells [neurons] in the brain. Provided below are 7 researched and proven ways to grow new brain cells and provide a safe haven for effective neurogenesis.

1. An Exercise Regimen
Everybody knows that exercise is good for your overall health and heart, but in recent findings, powerful evidence has proven that exercise is great for your brain. Scientific experiments have discovered that mice consistently using running wheels had around 2x the amount of hippocampal neurons (brain cells) as the mice that didnt exercise. Another study at Colombia University found that humans who had a exercise training program were able to grow and maintain new brain cells and nerve cells in the hippocampus region of the brain. The specific area called the dentate gyrus is responsible for helping produce neurogeneis. Even more studies have discovered that those who exercised had 2 3x increases in the birthrate of new neurons!

2. Eating Blueberries
Eating blueberries can trigger the growth of new brain cells? Thats right! 19-month-old rats that were put on a blueberry enriched diet [equal to about 1 cup per day for humans] were more

skilled at navigating through mazes than rats who werent fed blueberries. Scientists know for a fact that blueberries promote the growth of new neurons. In order to track the growth of neurons, researchers injected dye into rats. They saw that in the hippocampus region, new brain cells were generated. Scientists figure that anthocyanin dye the dark bluish-dye found in blueberries caused the neurogenesis. The anthocyanin-dye contains chemicals that can cross the blood-brain barrier and produce the growth of neurons. There is growing evidence that the anthocyanin dye has the same effect on the brains of humans! Related: For more information on brain foods, read the article Brain Foods: 50 Good Brain Foods.

3. Taking Time for Meditation

Meditation has always thought to have been beneficial for the brain. Recent compelling evidence from scientific researchers at Yale, Harvard, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology revealed that meditation can allow us to grow bigger brains. Though this isnt the same thing as neurogenesis, meditation could very well be an activity that boosts the birth rate of neurons. Researchers also discovered that meditators literally had an altered-physical brain structure compared to non-meditators. Brain scanning technology [i.e. MRIs] showed that meditation boosted thickness of brain structure dealing with attention, sensory input, and memory functions. The thickening was found to be more noticeable in adults than younger individuals. Its interesting because the same sections of our cortex that meditation thickens, tend to get thinner as we age. Meditation is known to boost brain activity, coherency of brain waves, strengthen neural connections, and thicken gray matter. Though scientists havent confirmed the effects of meditation and its ability to aid neurogenesis [due to complexity issues], there is a likely possibility that it helps.

4. Antidepressant Drugs
Scientific research by the National Institute of Mental Health has proven that antidepressants work by allowing our brains to grow new brain cells (neurons). In a 2003 study, scientists discovered that when they blocked the formation of new neurons in the hippocampus brain region, behavioral effects of the antidepressant Prozac [Fluoxetine] were diminished. Research has already understood that depression, stress, and anxiety disorders can cause death of neurons in the brain. More studies have demonstrated that most other antidepressants on the market can and will trigger the growth of new neurons. Even more interesting is the fact that besides humans, adult animals grow new neurons when given antidepressant drugs.

Though there are many other interactions in the brain with antidepressants, their primary beneficial effect from them is derived from their ability to produce neurogenesis. Now if scientists can only figure out a way to induce the amount of neurogenesis that antidepressant medication does without creating a new drug!

5. An Enriched Environment
Science has long known that living in a mentally stimulating environment vs. an impoverished environment is far better for brain development. Research has found that exposure to an enriched environment enhances neurogenesis functioning and is able to regulate emotionality. Scientists have found that memory-based tasks were far improved in the hippocampus region of the brain when human beings are raised in a healthy, enriched environment. One study found that mice put in stimulating environments actually had larger hippocampus regions than did those living in standard or poor laboratory conditions. They discovered a direct correlation between an enriched environment and the amount of neurons produced in the brains of mice. This had a significant effect on neurogenesis!

6. The Act of Learning

Though scientists have long known that new brain cells are able enhance learning they never thought that learning could actually cause the birth of new brain cells that is, until recently. In recent animal studies, researchers have found that there was a direct relationship between learning and the survival rate of newly-birthed brain cells. When researchers taught certain rodents a wide-variety of cognitive tasks which involved a wide-range of brain areas scientists found that the more the animal learned the more new neurons were able to survive in the hippocampus. Scientists have made it clear that learning can increase the presence of new neurons in the brain. Brain cells that are born in the hippocampus, which normally die off, are literally rescued by learning experiences. There is still plenty of research being conducted in this area and not all sources agree. However, your best bet is to keep your brain power boosted and your mind sharp. Always try to learn something new!

7. Restricting Caloric Intake

The phenomena of calorie restriction has continued to puzzle researchers. They have found that eating less food can lead to significant increases in longevity. Even when starting calorie restriction in middle age, it is able to produce around a ten to twenty percent increase in life-span. It has also been associated with hundreds of biological changes and can harbor our ability to produce new brain cells.

Restricting calorie intake has been associated with increases in neurogenesis and a better overall neuroprotective effect in the brain. Scientists have found that calorie-restricted animals nearly always stay active and healthy up until the end of their lives. This phenomena has also been associated with a significantly lowered likelihood of developing a degenerative brain disease and can even produce new nerve cells!

*8. Infared Light Helmets

Though the use of infared light helmets is relatively new, researchers believe that they may help patients with Alzheimers disease by helping them grow new brain cells. Developer of this infared light helmet, Dr. Gordon Dougal, (also the director of medical research at medical research company Virulite) believes the helmet will hit the market about 1 year from now. It works by aiming low levels of infared light at the wearers brain. Next, it stimulates neurogenesis in the brain, suggests research. More on how this works according to its inventor [Dr. Gordon Dougal]: How we hope its going to work is that the infrared light will be facing inside the helmet onto the actual person, onto their skin, onto their brain, and actually goes on the frontal part of the bones, so it goes onto the actual front part of the brain and the side of the brain. The side of the head and their skull are relatively thin, so the light will penetrate the skull and treat the underlying brain tissue. And the top of the head is also quite thin, and the light will penetrate the brain tissue at that point. For more information, view the sources: LE Magazine: June 2002 Calorie Restriction, Exercise, Hormone Replacement, and Phytonutrients Fight Aging Age Conference Madison, Wisconsin Harvard University Meditation found to increase brain size Mental calisthenics bulk up some layers By William J. Cromie Harvard News Office http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/daily/2006/01/23-meditation.html Antidepressants Grow New Brain Cells About.com; http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/psychopharmacology/a/neurogenesis.htm Sci STKE. 2003 Aug; (195):318. Antidepressants and Hippocampal Neurogenesis. Santarelli L, Saxe M, Gross A, Surget A, Battaglia F, Dulawa S, Weisstaub N, Lee J, Duman R, Arancio O, Belzung, Hen R.

The Journal of Neuroscience. 2007 Mar; 27(13): 3252-3259. Experience-Specific Functional Modification of the Dentate Gyrus through Adult Neurogenesis: A Critical Period during an Immature Stage. Tashiro A, Makino H, Gage FH. Stanford University Research In Progress: HD & Lifestyle http://www.stanford.edu/group/hopes/rltdsci/inprogress/ae2.html Related posts:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 50 Ways To Boost Your Brain Power 5 Ways Of Enhancing Brain Power (Part 2) 7 Brain Foods For Optimal Brain Health 5 Supercharged Brain Foods The Evolution Of Brain Power: New Synaptic Molecular Evolution Theory

Top 20 Foods to Improve Your Memory and Brain Function

In this information era, we are always trying to squeeze in and out every bit of information and memory capable with our brain. We are always looking for new ways to remember things and better manage them once in our brain. Keep our body and minds active through regular exercise and a challenge like, crossword puzzles and sudoku are a good ways to improve memory. But do not forget what we eat also affects our brains performance. Proper nutrition will give your brain power to think faster, better organized, improve memory and brain function. By adding some foods below to your diet, can really help in keeping your memory in good condition and help your brain to function at full capacity.
1. Green leafy vegetables Green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and spinach are rich in vitamins B6, B12, and folate, compounds needed by brain to break down homocysteine levels, which can lead to forgetfulness and even Alzheimer s disease. These vegetables are also high in iron, which can reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment by reducing oxidative stress. 2. Whole Grains Whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, and other grain products made with 100% whole wheat flour can increase blood flow which help deliver oxygen to your brain at peak performance. They also help supply the brain with glucose, something your brain needs to function properly. 3. Avocados Avocados contain monounsaturated fats which is one of the healthy fats that the brain needs to function properly. Monounsaturated fats contribute to normal blood flow and even help lower high blood pressure as well as prevent stroke.

4. Eggs Eggs are a good source of protein and nutrients, particularly choline, which is a vitamin B complex. Choline contain in egg yolk, plays a role in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain that helps regulate mood, behavior and memory. It also helps with alertness and improves cognitive performance. 5. Green tea Green tea offers many health benefits, including improving memory. Component of green tea, polyphenols, especially flavonoids, inhibit neuronal loss. Flavonoids reduce the production of proteins that can develop into plaques in the brains of Alzheimer s patients. 6. Blueberries These lovely blue gems are not only delicious but packed with antioxidants, highly source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Researchers found that a diet that includes blueberries significantly improves learning capacity and memory function. Blueberries are perhaps the best brain food of all because they increase the potential of neuron signals, protect the brain against oxidative stress and reduce the effect of age-related memory conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer s disease. 7. Salmon Salmon is a sustainable source of omega-3 fats. This omega-3 fatty acids are believed essential for the proper development and function of your brain. Essential fatty acids are not produced by the body and must be obtained with the diet. They play an important role in brain function and are highly concentrated in the brain. 8. Almonds Like fatty fish, almonds high in omega-3 fatty acids. They are also rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E. Antioxidants support healthy brain cell communication through the neurotransmitter, and increases healthy blood circulation, especially throughout the vast network of small blood vessels of the brain, allowing you to stay focused, alert, and functioning at peak mental capacity. 9. Sunflower Seeds Sunflower seeds are a rich source of vitamin E, with about 30 grams provides 30% of your total daily intake. Vitamin E is one of the major antioxidant that will help reduce your age memory loss, making it one nutrient that you can t miss out. 10. Sweet potatoes Sweet potatoes are very nourishing for the brain. They are rich in carbohydrates, vitamins B6 and antioxidant nutrients, which not only cleanse the blood, but also help to improve brain power significantly. 11. Kidney beans Kidney beans can improve your cognitive function. One cup of cooked kidney beans contains nearly 19% of the RDV (Recommended Daily Value) for B-vitamins thiamin, which is essential for cognitive function because it is needed to synthesize choline. 12. Apples Apples contain high levels of quercetin, an antioxidant that has been shown to protect against Alzheimer s disease. In addition to helping protect your memory and brain, apples have also been shown to decrease the risk for many cancers 13. Cranberries Cranberries can protect brain cells from free radical damage and bitterness in the fruit can improve your memory and coordination. They also provide necessary antioxidants that can keep you fit and healthy.

14. Grapes Black, purple, and red grapes all contain quercetin and anthocyanins, compounds that have been known to help in the memory areas. 15. Carrots Carrots are a source of vitamin B, vitamin C, and beta carotene, which slows the signs of aging and was associated with increased memory and brain function. 16. Soy Soy has the full benefits of protein, which triggers neurotransmitters associated with improved memory. 17. Strawberries Antioxidant in strawberries can prevent age-related neurological by improving brain cell abilities to send and receive the signal molecules to communicate. 18. Pumpkin Seeds The seeds of pumpkin are a power food, rich in nutrients, including: Vitamin A, vitamin E, Zinc, and the precious Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids. The Zinc found in pumpkin seeds plays an important role in improving memory and brain function. 19. Eggplant Eggplant skin contains a nutrient called nasunin keep our brain sharp by increasing communication between our brain cells and messenger molecules. 20. Dark chocolate Chocolate lovers would be pleased to know that dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants and also have a natural stimulant that can help improve concentration and focus. However not all chocolate will do, you need to buy good quality dark chocolate that has more than 60 percent of cocoa.

Apart from eating well, make sure to get enough rest, relax and be physical active everyday to boost your brain power.