Brain

Autisms – Mysteries

December 9, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Autism is an often misunderstood disorder. A patient with autism is always born with his disease. If the disease is discovered later in live is because it does not show the symptoms earlier in life. It arises due to genetic abnormalities of the brain. Patients with autism have under developed neural connections which cause abnormalities with social and sometimes physical phases of the brain. The parts with control the social and communication of the brain are under developed and not properly wired. They might be aggressive, cause self-harm, failing in simple tests and many other such behaviors.
A child with autism shows the signs of autism as soon as three years old. Problems arising from the misconnection or misrepresentation between the synapses and nerve cells cause this particular disorder. Till now the actual genetic cause for autism has not been known, research is going on to detect autism in kids before they are born since this disorder is termed as a birth defect. The early sings of autism are the child’s care for themselves, obsessive nature and under developed communication skills. Recent research has shown that one of the early sings of detecting autism is the inability of a child to focus on faces or any one thing. A child with autism cannot lead a normal adult life and might require assistance through her life. A patient with autism also will have problem linking meanings with their words. So many time while trying to express themselves, they will end up saying something else. Sometimes patients with autism develop seizures after puberty, this might be because of hormonal n that are part of a normal human being, but the exact cause of these seizures is not known. There are different levels of autism which are rated under Giliam Autism Rating Scale and the Childhood Autism rating scale.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: Autism, Autism spectrum, Brain, Disease, Health, Mental health, Neuron, Patient

The Miracles of the Brain

December 7, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

According to some, the most sophisticated and complex device ever made by made humans is the International Space Station (ISS). Without any doubt, the ISS is a mind-blowing piece of technology any time and any day. However, how will you feel if you realize that there is another object that weighs just a few kilograms and has a sophistication and complexity that is far more than that of the ISS?

Of course, you will be dazzled and puzzled. However, you do not need to be, as you possess one of these masterpieces of technology -the human brain. The brain is unarguably the most complex piece that humanity has come across. With its billions and billions of neuronal connections that fire countless signals in one second and coordinate all the activities of the human body, the brain is to say the least, staggering.

For decades, scientists and researchers have tried their very best in an attempt to understand the workings of this seemingly convoluted blub of fat but we are left with more questions than answers. Even with all the technological wizardry of the 21st century, much is still unknown about the computer. Supercomputers that calculate billions of calculate billions of calculations per second pale in significance when compared with the human brain.

In addition, one other thing that must be stressed is the fact whenever this piece of advanced technology is faulty, as in various neuropsychiatric disorders, there is always very little, if any that can be done. That is the main reason why neurosurgery, neuropsychiatry and neurology happen to be the most challenging areas of medicine. The reason is the brain, the source of incredible complexity. Although scientific researches are still going on trying to understand the brain, it is quite clear that it will be a mystery to us for quite a long period of time.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: Brain, Human brain, International Space Station, Technology

Connection between Brain Injury and Personality

November 14, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Lately the connections between brain injury and personality news articles have been popping up everywhere. It is no surprise that people have complete personality modifications. But what’s surprising to is that these personality modifications are Turing the person into a completely different person. This has recently been observed in soldiers returning from war with head injuries. These soldiers are a completely new person to their families and do not get accustomed well to their home environment. These brain injuries include mild concussion, shrapnel penetration and other such non-life threatening injuries. Mild concussions due to shock wave based explosives are common which do not show any bodily harm. Many military personnel relate this personality alteration to the excessive combat stress that the solders go through. Recently a similar example was noted in a woman in Germany who went through a brain operation after which she had a notable change in personality.
What doctors tell us that if a person suffers an injury to one part of the brain, it will switch off that region and make use of other regions, but in cases of complete personality conversions doctors have reported that the patients brains are shifting the functions of these areas to completely different sections of less importance. This is a surprising find and a find which could make doctors to completely burn their old books and rewrite entire book on brain functions from the start. The adaptation of brain to rewire can help doctors in dealing with tumors and other such brain related accidents and injuries. The proper understanding of the entire brains working in this matter is important before doctors can attempt to experiment with this property of the brain. The cause for this marked change in personality cannot be studied on animal examples hence it is very difficult to tell what actually takes place in the brain which causes this change.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: Brain, Concussion, Conditions and Diseases, Germany, Health, Injury, Neurological Disorders, Trauma and Injuries

Refresh Your brain

November 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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Have you ever gotten tired of doing the same thing again and again at office, at home or at school and colleges? The complex nature of our brain which has evolved through hundreds of years to be more productive. When comparing us to animals you will notice that animals spend twice as much time as humans resting and sleeping. This shows the constant fluid nature of our mind which is at a constant stage of processing. We have been pressing the thresholds of human productivity to newer levels and led to more creative ad more work done in a shorter period of time. Hence it is now wonder that the human mid gets tired so easily by focusing on one thing at a time, no matter how challenging it is, the minds gets over it and looks for something else with which it can relax or further use all the other underutilized parts of the mind. Thought the efficiency of human minds is at its historical best, it requirement for time to regroup and revitalize that brain has also increased. This is important for working ahead and also for the growth of other parts of the brain which are currently not working.

Your managers and bosses will try to push you as harder as they possibly can to get as much work done out of you as possible in a short period of time. What they do not realize is the capacity of human brain is not endless and hinders productivity considerably. When working on something, certain parts of the brain do net get used to their full potential, these parts lead the whole brain to get diverted from the task at hand. That’s why you see lots of employees playing games and watching porn at office hours. Hence small breaks at regular intervals are very important.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: Brain, Deep brain stimulation, Human brain, Physical therapy

Walking Improves Brain Function

October 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

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A study recently published in “Frontiers In Aging Neuroscience” has confirmed that regular exercise such as walking improves brain function, particularly in the elderly. While most people know that walking has health benefits such as improved heart function and strengthening of the muscles and joints, many don’t realize it also gives a boost to the brain.

The study illustrated the positive impact of walking on the brain. As you walk, your heart has to pump more, increasing blood flow. Increased blood flow to the brain results in a healthier brain. If you walk regularly, the blood vessels in the brain will also branch out and become more effective at delivering nutrients to various regions of the brain.

The study indicated that repetitive activities such as walking stimulate the neurotransmitters in several areas of the brain. It also noted that the stimulation of neurotransmitters wasn’t limited to the area of the brain that governs walking. If you walk regularly with someone, you can increase the positive effect even more. Apparently, walking while you’re talking with someone is even better for you because it forces the brain to multi-task. It’s rather like exercise for the brain itself.

Although any amount of regularly scheduled walks can help brain function, individuals should try to walk at least 40 minutes at a stretch at least three times a week to get the most benefit. The study noted that this type of mild aerobic exercise was especially important for aging patients in order to stay mentally sharp. In fact, older patients who did walk regularly showed increased performance on cognitive tests, particularly in the areas of planning, short term memory, and understanding ambiguity.

If you’re interested in getting in better shape and improving your brain function, starting a regular routine of walking several times a week may be the best thing you can do for yourself. If you have older parents or grandparents, ask them to walk with you so that they, too, can benefit from the brain boosting power or exercise.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: Aerobic exercise, Base on balls, Brain, Conditions and Diseases, Health, Neurological Disorders, Physical exercise, Trauma and Injuries

Exercising Your Mind to Stay Mentally Healthy

August 12, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

: Image by speakingoffaith via Flickr

Exercising the brain also helps prevents ailments such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease. As the brain ages, neurons decrease and fat grows between brain cells, making it increasingly important to have an active mind.

So what are the ways you can exercise your mind? One way is to to engage in mind puzzles like word searches, crossword puzzles, card games, or games like Soduku. You can also play trivia games, which help to keep the memory sharp and challenge the brain. Also, just by reading everyday you can stimulate your mind. A morning dose of the newspaper, or curling up with a novel in the evening can give you a quick mental healthy treatment that is interesting and enjoyable.

Taking up a new hobby works to keep the mind young by teaching new skills, enforcing positive feelings, and forcing concentration. With that, doing art work such as pottery, painting, or drawing or building facilitates the production of neurons in the brain and sparks creativity, which is good for overall health.

Even having a conversation with someone that involves an exchange of thoughts and ideas can keep the mind active and fresh. Doing something different, whether it is taking a drive, going to a restaurant, listening to new music, or going to a muesuem or festival, can generate exercise in the brain.

So start today in increasing your mental health and make an investment in your future by exercising your mind. As research has shown, you can reduce memory loss as you age by 50% simply doing a few of the techniques mentioned above.

When discussing mental health many people think it has to do with an emotional state, or moods, alone. While mental health does include this, it also involves a brain that is physically fit and healthy. Just like other organisms in our body, the brain needs to be exercised to keep it strong and to allow for neurons to actively communicate with one another—which it turns helps memory, overall brain function, and mood.
Exercising the brain also helps prevents ailments such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease. As the brain ages, neurons decrease and fat grows between brain cells, making it increasingly important to have an active mind.
So what are the ways you can exercise your mind? One way is to to engage in mind puzzles like word searches, crossword puzzles, card games, or games like Soduku. You can also play trivia games, which help to keep the memory sharp and challenge the brain. Also, just by reading everyday you can stimulate your mind. A morning dose of the newspaper, or curling up with a novel in the evening can give you a quick mental healthy treatment that is interesting and enjoyable.
Taking up a new hobby works to keep the mind young by teaching new skills, enforcing positive feelings, and forcing concentration. With that, doing art work such as pottery, painting, or drawing or building facilitates the production of neurons in the brain and sparks creativity, which is good for overall health.
Even having a conversation with someone that involves an exchange of thoughts and ideas can keep the mind active and fresh. Doing something different, whether it is taking a drive, going to a restaurant, listening to new music, or going to a muesuem or festival, can generate exercise in the brain.
So start today in increasing your mental health and make an investment in your future by exercising your mind. As research has shown, you can reduce memory loss as you age by 50% simply doing a few of the techniques mentioned above.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, Brain, Mental health, Physical exercise