Interesting things about the brain

The male and female brains are not different, the brain is always changing, the brain is becoming smaller . are interesting discoveries of scientists about the human brain.

Interesting things you may not know about the brain

Photo: TTO

Male and female brains are not different

It is often assumed that the brains of women and men are often different. In fact, it is not only that hormones affect male and female brain development in different ways.

The brain has never stopped changing

Science once said that once you grow up, your brain loses the ability to form new neural connections. This has been proven wrong.

A 2007 study in a stroke patient found that her brain had adapted to nerve nerve damage by getting similar information from other nerves. Newer studies show that adult brains can still form many new nerves.

Studies of thinking even detect intense brain training that can alter both brain structure and function.

The brain is a 'noble club'

Like the guardians at the door of night clubs, there are cells that form a protective membrane of the brain, allowing only a few cells to enter the well-guarded ' brain room '. .

This ' guarding' process is quite complicated with a large and small system of cells and capillaries linked together. Only special protein-supplying cells pass through the defense to provide nutrients to the brain. In addition, only a few very special exceptions are accessible to the brain.

This membrane protects the brain very effectively, but also prevents drugs that affect the brain. In an effort to treat tumors, doctors can use drugs to break the barrier of the diaphragm, but this action can negatively affect the brain.

A new way to penetrate through these barriers is to use nanotechnology . A new study published in 2009 in the Journal of Cancer Research shows that nano 'warriors' can pass through the diaphragm and adhere to cancer-causing tumors. In the future, the combination of nanotechnology and chemotherapy may be an effective way to destroy tumors.

Brain cells are mostly neurons?

Not so, because science has shown that nerve cells make up only 10% of total brain cells. The other 90%, which accounts for half of the brain mass, is called 'neuron ' (ie 'glia', in Latin meaning 'glue').

The neuroscientists who simply thought 'neurons delivered' are a glue that binds nerve cells to each other, but recent studies have shown that these cells are much more important. A scientific paper in Current Opinions has demonstrated the role of these ' unclaimed ' cells: they rearrange excessive nerve signals to protect the development and regulation of xinap (is the connector part between nerve cells).

Photo: TTO

We are smart thanks to the brain folds

What secret makes mankind wise today? The answer is brain folds.

The cortical surface is a complex place consisting of many folds, translucent folds called sulci, deep-rooted called gyri. The folds and curves allow the brain to save space and thus enhance the ability to handle more thanks to the compactness of the skull.

The brain consumes a lot of energy

Modern human brain is a real energy furnace. Occupying about 2% of body weight, but the brain consumes about 20% of blood oxygen and 25% of the body's glucose.

The brain is getting smaller

According to ancient anthropologist John Hawks, archaeological data collected in China, Europe, South Africa and Australia show that today's brains have shrunk to 150cm ³ , only about 1,350cm ³ , which is small. About 10%. Researchers don't understand why the brain shrinks. There is a theory that makes the brain work more efficiently. Some people think the skull becomes smaller because our food is getting easier to chew, so a large set of molars is no longer needed.

Anyway, brain size has no direct relation to intelligence . So it cannot be concluded that prehistoric people are smarter than humans today!

The human brain is quite large

The adult brain weighs about 1.3-1.4kg. Some neurosurgeons have described the brain as toothpaste tubes, but according to Dr. Katrina Firlik, "actually the brain looks more like a tofu (tofu)" : about 80% of the skull is The brain, the rest is blood, spinal fluid, nerve tissue cushion . If all mixed up, you will have a mixture of about 1.7 liters, enough to put in a 2 liter soda bottle!