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Importance of exercise to brain health
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Our amazing plastic brains reflection:
After reading the article please detail the following: (1 pg typed, 12 pt Times new Roman, double spaced, 1 inch margins)
1. Why is the word plastic used in the title of this article?
Plastic was used in the in title of this article because it refers to the ability of the brain to change as the circuit form, unform, and reform. This is unlike the old view, which believed that the brain is like a computer, hard-wired and eventually break down over time.
2. Describe why the author of this article thinks that to use the metaphor of our brain as machines is detrimental.
The author of this article thinks that to use the metaphor of our brain as machines is detrimental because machines inevitable degenerates with time and use. With this believe, many people see physical and mental exercise as a waste of time to resist their brain’s decline. However, more research have shown that this view is wrong. Both forms of exercise help the brain to grow and stay healthy, which lower the risk of dementia.
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What does the word” neuroplasticity” mean regarding brain function?
Neuroplasticity means that the “circuits,” or the connections between brain cells, constantly changes as our brain works to think, perceive, and obtain new skills or memories. New neurons can even take over old tasks if an area of the brain is damaged.
4. Describe the 5 factors that could reduce the chance of developing dementia by 60%. Which of the 5 have the biggest impact?
1) A healthy diet (at least three to four servings of fruits and vegetables a day)
2) Maintain a normal weight (BMI from 18 to under 25)
3) Limit alcohol to about a glass of wine a
The introduction to the article was interesting, “What has billions of individual pieces, trillions of connections, weights about 1.4 kilograms, and works on electrochemical energy? If you guessed a minicomputer you’re wrong. If you guessed the human brain, you’re correct!” I did not know the brain had quite this many connections. After reading our chapter I really started to grasp the complexity of the human brain and the amount of energy it expends. I felt that the article lacked facts like these further in. There was very little empirical numbers offered by the author Eric Chudler.
...ysterious technology. When referencing the new technology he states, “They supply the stuff for thought, but they also shape the process of thought” (6). Carr’s main point is the effect of technology, especially the Internet, is changing the programming of the brain.
The first of the many ideas conveyed in Carr’s article is that the brain is malleable like plastic. To explain, the professor of Neuroscience, James Olds, says that “nerve cells routinely break old connections and form new ones” (Carr 4). This means that the human brain changes the way it functions according to the information manipulated by neurons. In the novel Feed, brain malleability is involved in the climax of the story. The feed works as a computer chip being directly inserted into a person’s brain. The climax of the story occurs when Titus and his group of friends get their brain chips hack. Before the attack, Violet, one of the main characters, never questions the society she lives in. However, after her brain chip is affected, her thoughts and brain functions rewired and from then, she starts to reflect on society. Given the climax of the story, the novel illustrates how even a brain chip cannot stop the natural malleability property of the human brain.
...sion of the disease. In addition, the risk factors and preventive measures are quite clear. These can help those who are unaware of what Alzheimer’s disease is or how it progresses. Future studies may prove to be beneficial in preventing the occurrence of Alzheimer’s, or at least the severity of its’ progression. Informing people of this disease, the risk factors, and preventive measures at a younger age, can only prove beneficial in the decrease or possible elimination of this physically and mentally altering disease. Living a healthy life now can only increase your chances of having a healthier life in old age.
In closing, the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system is vital for basic bodily functioning and processes. Injury, disease or abnormal structure of the brain will greatly affect one's behaviour, emotional regulation, mental processes and functioning. The brain will respond to any trauma, injury or abnormality to accommodate the dysfunction. During this response, the brain will physically change, the process called neuroplasticity, and attempt to "rewire" the brain to return to normal functioning. In the treatment of many cases as previously discussed, the aim was to reconnect neurons and the theory of neuroplasticity was the foundation behind it.
Neuroplasticity is the term given to the physical changes occurring in the brain over one’s lifetime. In the past, it was believed that the brain stayed the same size and shape all one’s life, but now that modern technology has given us the ability to view the brain visually and observe its changes, we have seen evidence of the brain’s natural ability to change its shape, structure and density. Neuroplasticity occurs in small scales over time, but can also change in response to injury, behaviour, environmental stimuli, thought, and emotions. This is significant in relation to learning, memory, development, and recovery from brain damage (Pascual-Leone et al, 2005). Neuroplasticity occurs when new
Joe Dispenza suggests, in his book ‘Evolve the Brain’, that if we choose to solely rely on our genetics, we are struck with our traits: the good, bad, or indifferent. However, if we choose to alter our neuroplasticity and experiences, we can thereby alter our genetics as well. It is possible to make new synaptic connections in the brain by two methods: learning new things and having new experiences. A new suggested theory is that the brain can be altered by attuning to our conscious mind and refining it.
According to Berlucci and Butchel (2009), plasticity describes an alteration in neural organization. Plasticity may be to blame for several types of behavior changes both short-term and permanent, such as growth, learning, injury, aging, and adaption to various settings. While several authors have attempted to more appropriately define the term, researchers are inclined to relate the theory to essentially any deviation found within the nervous system. Today, the method of behavior change can mostly likely be described by the alteration of synaptic transmission amongst neurons.
Neuroplasticity Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to remap itself in response to experience. The theory was first proposed by Psychologist William James who stated “Organic matter, especially nervous tissue, seems endowed with a very extraordinary degree of plasticity". Simply put, the brain has the ability to change. He used the word plasticity to identify the degree of difficulty involved in the process of change. He defined plasticity as ".the possession of a structure weak enough to yield to an influence, but strong enough not to yield all at once" (James, 1890).
This passage shows that the parts of your brain that are being used are growing and becoming stronger while those that are not frequently used disappear. For example, “It’s a competition for survival, and the main players are neurons.” One can see from this that your brain is like a competition to stay and have a relationship with your brain. As we grow and get older we will have built our brain up and made it stronger. For instance, “When we are young we have way more connections between our neurons than we need. These extra connections are there, ready to be used to build networks for the things we experience.” This shows how our brains are getting ready for our future and making our brains relationships stronger as well. The brain will always be growing and getting ready for new
As the human body goes through different experiences, the brain grows, develops, and changes according to the environmental situations it has been exposed to. Some of these factors include drugs, stress, hormones, diets, and sensory stimuli. [1] Neuroplasticity can be defined as the ability of the nervous system to respond to natural and abnormal stimuli experienced by the human body. The nervous system then reorganizes the brain’s structure and changes some of its function to theoretically repair itself by forming new neurons. [2] Neuroplasticity can occur during and in response to many different situations that occur throughout life. Some examples of these situations are learning, diseases, and going through therapy after an injury.
Eat vegetables no less than three times each day furthermore natural products no less than three times each day
This general contention is especially strong when the origin and the product share the same nature. If the origin is human (father) and the product is human (child) - there is an enormous amount of data to be safely and certainly derived from the product and these data will surely apply to the origin. The closer the origin and the product - the more we can learn about the origin. The computer is a "thinking machine" (however limited, simulated, recursive and mechanical). Similarly, the brain is a "thinking machine" (admittedly much more agile, versatile, non-linear, maybe even qualitatively different).
The human body is divided into many different parts called organs. All of the parts are controlled by an organ called the brain, which is located in the head. The brain weighs about 2. 75 pounds, and has a whitish-pink appearance. The brain is made up of many cells, and is the control centre of the body. The brain flashes messages out to all the other parts of the body.
The brain and how it changes is often referred to as brain plasticity. The brain obviously isn't made out of plastic, but the idea that it can change throughout one's life makes it “plastic”. Meaning, just like actual plastic, the brain can be changed and molded. There are generally three ways the brain changes. First, the brain is able to organize itself when it is growing, for example, when a baby is born the brain assembles itself. Second, the brain undergoes neuroplasticity when is suffers a brain injury and it is able to accommodate for loss of brain function. Lastly, the brain is plastic throughout adulthood whenever something new is being learned or memorized.