What do we know about the brain? And a lot, and almost nothing. And what we know easily turns into myths upon closer examination. But if you understand how this important organ works correctly, you can improve its work - and thereby achieve great success in life.
The structure of the nervous tissue
The human central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. Undoubtedly, the brain belongs to the vital organs, that is, to those without which the human body simply cannot exist.
The structure of the nervous tissue has been studied well enough. A nerve cell - a neuron - has a peculiar structure: the body of a neuron with processes (dendrites) resembles the sun, a long axon stretches from it, protected by myelin sheaths, at the end of which the endings are branched - roots. In general, a neuron looks like a tree with a round crown. The gray matter, which makes up 60-65% of the brain matter, is represented by the bodies of neurons, and the white matter is represented by axons.
The brain consists of two hemispheres: right and left. They are credited with different functions. The cerebral hemispheres resemble the kernel of a walnut.
The brain feeds and breathes
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Researchers have established the chemical composition of the nervous tissue: it is a complex protein-lipid complexes; 90% of lipids (fats) are cholesterol and phospholipids.
In infants, there is an active synthesis of cholesterol in the brain tissue; in the first year of life, its amount increases sharply. In adults, the brain contains a lot of cholesterol (about 25 g), but its synthesis decreases until it stops. Proteins make up approximately 40% of the dry weight of the brain.
The brain tissue contains glucose and glycogen, as well as almost all trace elements: sodium, potassium, calcium, copper, iron, manganese and others. Glucose quickly and easily penetrates from the blood into the brain tissue.
The brain accounts for 2-3% of body weight. It is noteworthy that with a small specific gravity, the brain consumes more oxygen than any other organ: 25% of the total consumption of the entire body in adults and 50% in children. This speaks of intense brain breathing. Oxygen is especially intensively consumed by the cells of the cerebral cortex. With mental work, the intensity of the breathing of the brain increases, and with anesthesia it significantly decreases. Stopping oxygen even for 10-15 seconds can lead to fainting.
The brain's potential is called bioelectric. It is of a chemical nature, since potassium and sodium ions provide it. They pass through the cell membranes in different quantities: potassium in large quantities, sodium - in much less. Due to the difference in the concentrations of charged particles (ions) inside and outside the cell, a potential difference arises.
There is a so-called "sodium pump" in nerve cells - this is a mechanism that maintains the intracellular sodium content at a certain low level. When this "pump" breaks down, sodium freely penetrates into the cell, and the membrane is recharged. This happens in states of stress, excitement, tension. And for the treatment of diseases accompanied by these symptoms, as a rule, sedatives (sedatives) are used. They remove the potential difference from the cerebral cortex.
Thus, the work of the brain resembles the work of a well-oiled mechanical machine, which has electricity, potential and even a "pump".
What is thought?
Everything would be so simple if our brain did not produce a certain etheric substance called "thought". What are our thoughts?
This is undoubtedly the flow of information. “In the beginning was the word” - this postulate refutes all the dogmas of the materialistic vision of the world. Indeed, after all, we first think or perceive verbal information, and then our brain reacts to this by transmitting "good" or "bad" nerve impulses.
Thought does not obey the laws of the material world. In the mental world, everything is different. Judge for yourself: I have one peach, and you have one peach. I give you my peach, you give me yours. How many peaches does each have? That's right, one at a time. Now let's exchange thoughts: I express my idea to you, you to me - yours. How many thoughts does each one have? Two!
Time and space have no power over thought. Mentally, we can travel to the past and the future, and at a speed that no stopwatch can record! “What's the fastest in the world? Think!"
And finally, our thoughts are being realized, which has long been proven.
All these properties make it possible to debunk long-held ideas about the brain and turn them into myths.
Myth N1. Nerve cells do not repair
Recovering! And how! The history of medicine has a huge number of examples when people doomed to immobility recovered completely, returned to an active lifestyle, having overcome their illness.
"The tests are bad, the brain is damaged, it will not move," the doctors say. "No! - the patient decides. - I have to get well, I will move, I want to live a full life! Her Majesty Thought is turned on - positive, optimistic, creative.
There are many opposite cases: a person who was not ill with anything would go to bed and calmly die simply because he decided to die. Either he has become too old, or he has already done everything in this world … Who knows what a black thought came to his mind ?!
These two examples clearly illustrate the fact of the realization of our thoughts. In the first case, it is creative, in the second, it is destructive.
A feature of the restoration of nerve cells and tissues is the duration of this process with enhanced nutrition and oxygen supply to the brain. This leads to the following myth.
Myth N2. Sweet, salty and fatty foods are bad for the body
As we have already found out, glucose, sodium ions and cholesterol - the constituent ingredients of sugars, salts and fats, respectively - are necessary for normal nutrition, development and functioning of the brain.
"How?! - lovers of strict diets will be indignant. - These are harmful products! " Any food is as harmful as we abuse it. You can limit, but not completely exclude.
The donors are immediately given hot sweet tea after blood collection to prevent fainting, which is a consequence of a sharp drop in blood glucose levels - hypoglycemia. The uniqueness of glucose is that there is no nutrient that can enter the brain more easily and quickly.
Many people know by themselves how the mood spoils, up to depression, with some diets. And then you want something sweet! A bar of chocolate, a cup of coffee, a banana, grapes, or a couple of spoons of honey can easily fix the situation.
Proteins are also essential for the nutrition of the brain. Protein amino acids are the leading components in the metabolic processes of the brain.
Myth N3. Human mental abilities depend on the number of convolutions
Numerous studies of scientists have proven that the number of convolutions in all people is the same. This is a morphological (structural) feature of the brain. Therefore, expressions like “you have few brains” or “one gyrus and that straight line” have no foundation at all. Why is one smart, the other not very, and the third completely stupid?
Nobody is born smart. The mind is the result of knowledge and skills acquired in the process of life. From the first day of life, the baby learns the world. This is helped by his parents, the environment in general.
The stimulus for cognition is interest: where there is interest, there is no boredom, despair, longing, depression. Interest excludes these emotions. Can you imagine a bored or yearning person taking an active interest in something? Of course not!
Interest itself is not emotionally colored, it is neutral. Indeed, it cannot be attributed to either positive or negative emotions. When we are interested in something, we forget about our problems and sores. Our brain works, remembers, develops, we grow spiritually and become smart.
Inquisitive, interested children, given the appropriate environment, have more chances to become "clever and clever".
Myth N4. "You can't jump above your head"
The brain gives us the possibility of endless development, there are no analogues in nature. If something doesn't work out for you, don't rush to label yourself as a stupid person.
Statements like "nothing is impossible for me" or "I will definitely succeed" will make you omnipotent, and you can be convinced of the creative power of thought.
The same is true for your children. You cannot tell your children that they are "stupid", no matter how bad their grades in school. It is worth finding out the reason for the lag and helping the child in mastering knowledge. Now even children with Down syndrome and those suffering from oligophrenia (brain underdevelopment) are being taught successfully!
Myth N5. There are very few indigo children, and even fewer geniuses
American scientists have come to the conclusion that almost every child is born especially gifted - "indigo". And inadequate parenting of adults makes such children, at best, smart.
Watch your baby. A healthy child actively learns the world, he has a lot of energy, he will ask you thousands of questions, to which you do not always have answers. If he is not interfered with by endless prohibitions and direct his energy in the right direction, he may well turn into a genius!
Myth N6. There are "physics" and "lyrics"
This myth claims that someone's brain is "technical", and someone is "lyrical", meaning the ability to the exact and humanitarian sciences.
However, this is only a consequence of the chosen direction of development. Mankind knows many great people gifted in all areas of knowledge: Leonardo da Vinci, Mikhail Lomonosov, Dmitry Mendeleev … This once again proves the truth: a talented person is talented in everything.
Myth N7. Human memory and abilities are not unlimited
Our memory and our abilities are developed as much as we develop them.
In the middle of the last century, scientists admitted the existence of particles - informosomes - for transmitting information and providing memory processes. "A person's memory cannot be considered in isolation from his activity, since it is not cognition that cognizes, it is not thinking that thinks, it is not memory that remembers and reproduces, but a person, a certain personality, cognizes, thinks, remembers and reproduces."
Humanity is moving inexorably towards progress. The invented Internet can be considered the prototype of the universal information intelligence. How could we have assumed a few decades ago that we would be able to communicate at a distance quickly and easily?
One thing is indisputable: the human brain, which gave the world a huge number of inventions and discoveries, remains the most unexplored and mysterious biological object to this day.
Inna Pugacheva, biochemist
