Blood can help people think

Professor Christopher Moore, who hypothesized that blood is actively involved in regulating neurons processing information.

Blood helps neurons process information

Scientists from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA) have proposed the idea that blood can help people think , in addition to the well-known role of nutrient transport & oxygen center of each cell.

In an article published in the Journal of Neuropathy in early October, Christopher Moore, director of MIT's Brain Research Center, said, 'We think that blood plays an active role in the process. neuron processing information . Many evidence clearly implies that blood deserves more attention than the role of distributing and transporting essential nutrients. Surprisingly because the blood helps the neurons adjust in processing the received signals . What we need to change is the view of brain activity. '

According to Moore's hypotheses (Hemo-Neural hypothesis), blood is not only a system that supports the physiological activities of the body, but in fact blood also helps control brain activities . In particular, local changes in blood flow positively affect neurons . By some mechanism, these changes help the blood spread information to different regions and thus regulate information throughout the brain. Research being carried out at Moore's lab provides more insight into pointing out that blood flow helps regulate the activity of individual neurons.

Professor Christopher Moore, who hypothesized that blood is actively involved in regulating neurons processing information.(Photo: web.mit.edu)

Moore's theory is related to understanding brain-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (flutter & dementia), schizophrenia, and multilayered hardening and epilepsy. . Moore said, ' A lot of mental and psychiatric diseases are related to vascular changes '.

'Most people acknowledge that the symptoms of mental illnesses stem from the damage of neurons. But we propose that neuronal damage may also result from the progression of the disease , which can be seen as a completely new treatment proposal, ' Moore said. For example, epilepsy usually occurs in people with abnormal blood vessels in the brain area that appear congested. This hypothesis implies that abnormal blood flow will cause strong epilepsy. If so, modifying drugs that affect blood flow may be one of the new directions in therapeutic therapy.

This hypothesis is essential to the magnetic resonance scanner (fMRI), which is a familiar application based on brain scanning to show local changes in blood flow.'Scientists are now interested in the flow of blood & the flow of blood as an important process not only because it provides data on the functioning of the nervous system', graduate student Rosa Cao is currently working at the lab Moore explained. 'If the flow of blood affects the activity & behavior of the nervous system, then the charts drawn from fMRI will be the key to contributing to information processing'.

Again, the research at Moore's lab provided clear explanations for studying dwarf sensory systems through fMRI. Detailed maps of the brain's effects on parts of the body such as fingers, toes, arms, and legs - indicate that when there is a lot of blood flow to the fingertips, people will be able to recognize See the vitality (vitality) on your fingers.

This proposal suggests that blood flow to the functional areas of the brain and information about blood flow can predict the extent of brain activity. The results do not undermine the research priorities, but in addition, provide clearer understandings and make the magnetic resonance scanner a more useful tool than before.

How does blood flow affect brain activity?

Blood contains diffusion factors that escape from the conduit (blood vessels) that affect the functioning of the nervous system & changes in blood flow can affect the concentration of these factors. In addition, neurons and glial cells (neuronal cells) can react to drug function in expanding and narrowing blood vessels. In addition, blood affects the temperature of brain tissue and thereby affects the functioning of the nervous system .

According to Moore's knowledge, the Hemo-Neural hypothesis proposes a whole new way of looking at the brain.'Nobody ever imagined blood flow involved in brain processing information models , ' Moore said. The only exception, the philosopher Aristotle once thought about the circulatory system is important for human thoughts and emotions. Perhaps the ancient Greeks learned about this.

This research was funded by Thomas F. Peterson, Mitsui Fund and McGonvern Institute of Brain Research at MIT.

© Nam Hy Hoang Phong - Email: eduvietnam@yahoo.de. Blood translation may help us think , Cathryn M. Delude, McGovern Institute - October 16, 2007, MIT News.