Brain Is Highly Metabolic And Important Organ Of The Body

In addition, decreased cerebral blood flow, environmental toxins and a decrease in acetylcholine have all been labeled potential culprits. Various theories for the cause of Alzheimer’s have been put forth but as yet none have been shown true.

My name is Shankar Pattabhiraman, and I am an incoming senior at New Albany High School. I will be graduating in June of 2016, and I am thinking of pursuing a chemical or biomedical engineering major in college, or possibly biochemistry or neuroscience. My career goal is to become a physician, or perhaps a physician scientist. I am especially interested in neurology-related fields, and this interest has been reinforced in several ways: participating in the 2015 National Brain Bee Championships competition in Baltimore, MD, volunteering at Riverside Methodist Hospital in the Neurocritical Care Unit and the Stroke and Brain Center, and helping Tony Hall and his friends who suffer from neurological disorders and diseases. I chose to study ischemic strokes because I am interested in neuropathology, both clinically and through research. In addition, through my volunteering at RMH, I have worked with patients who have suffered from strokes, and while the symptoms’ onset is sudden, the events leading up to the stroke are long-term but rarely treatable.

Three main maps can be reconstructed from CTP data: cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), and mean transit time (MTT). Interpretation of the CTP maps is crucial in reversing functional damage and choosing the ideal treatment plan. Ischaemic brain tissue can be visualised in each map as regions of hypoperfusion within the brain tissue (Birenbaum et al., 2011; El-Koussy et al., 2014). Because CTP is a dynamic quantitative imaging technique, the percentage of brain damage can be calculated by measuring the mean values at the location of the same damaged tissue in the three maps. Moreover, the values for the damaged tissue are compared with those for normal tissue in the other, unaffected hemisphere. Finally, CBF is calculated by dividing CBV by MTT (Dorn et al.,

In the article “Head Rush,” Laura Sanders explains the role blood has upon our brain. As blood travels our body, it takes in our information, thoroughly giving us details on our health ,genetics and many more. Our blood actually has a bigger job that many of us didn’t know about. Past experiments are suggesting that blood has the power to control nerve cell, instead of just taking commands from them. Science textbooks point out that astrocytes connect neurons and blood vessels, but it is still uncertain as to how neurons receives its signal to carry blood to the brain. Sanders talks about two neuroscientists Robert Hill and Jaime Grutzendler of Yale University published work. Hill claims that, “endothelial cells are perfectly poised to detect

Cerebrovascular accidents, or strokes, will lead to brain damage that affects the functioning of executive function, memory, language, visuospatial performance and emotional states. Corresponding vertebral arteries and carotid arteries provide blood to the brain from the heart that the carotid arteries are internal and external sections of the thyroid cartilage. Where the optic nerve rests the internal artery distributes into the anterior and middle cerebral arteries. The vertebral arteries arise through the spinal vertebrae and meet the lower pons to form the basilar artery. The brain receives 15% to 20% of the oxygenated blood from the heart and can only endure fleeting interruptions of blood flow before neural operations

I have always had a passion and interest in working with the unknown. When I was in high school, I always made sure I was taking science classes that interested me, and would help me decide on what I wanted to major in college. I chose neuroscience as my major because it is a subject that continues to fascinate me. Neuroscience is the study of how the nervous system develops, its structure, and what it does. I want to focus on the brain and its impact on behavior and cognitive functions. I want to go into clinical neuroscience (looking at the disorders of the nervous system) or cognitive neuroscience, which studies the higher cognitive functions and underlying neural bases. With a neuroscience major, I would like to pursue a career in clinical research, do research for the National Institute of Health, work for the CDC and specialize in neurological disease, and/or run a clinical research project in another country. I want to pursue a career in one of these areas because I want to dedicate my knowledge, skills, and time to helping people and the world of science. I want my work to make a positive impact on society and be beneficial for the forthcoming generations. I want to help people and discover new things that will help those in need. I am motivated every day to continue working hard by realizing there are still more things to be discovered and that it could be done by me.

Correspondingly, there are two pathways that transports blood to the brain called internal carotid artery and vertebral artery. The internal carotid artery has three layers call the tunica adventitia, tunica media, and tunica intima. Tunica intima is made up of smooth muscle cells and elastin. The basilar artery forms and it branches out to the posterior cerebral arteries. The posterior cerebral arteries form the internal carotid arteries and when they connect they make cerebral arterial circle ( circle of willis). The middle cerebral arteries branch out two separate arteries called the anterior cerebral arteries. Each of these arteries are the force that direct the blood flow to the brain. There are three tiny vascular systems that work together to profuse the deep brain. Which are the pial, subependymal, and lenticulostriate arteries. The small area of white matter that depends on blood flow is called the subcortical “shed water” area. The subcortical is more prone than other areas of the brain to have ischemia. The leading cause of ischemia is the fibrin builds up and this cause a narrowing of the lumen. Which does not allow the flow of red blood cells and deprives the white matter of tissue of oxygen. The tissue then losses density and produces white matter lesions. The neurons become demyelinated which leads to loss of cognitive ability.

The main factor influencing cerebrovascular resistance is the diameter of the cerebral blood vessels. The vessels are innervated by postganglionic sympathetic fibers. They will respond to norepinephrine, but apparently, this does not play a major part in controlling the vascular resistance. The two most important controlling substances are oxygen and carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the most powerful vasodilator for cerebral blood vessels. Oxygen has strong vasoconstrictor effects on these vessels.

Blood pressure in our blood vessels is monitored by the baroreceptors. These receptors send messages to the cardio regulatory center of the medulla oblongata to regulate our blood pressure every minute. In order for blood to be delivered to all organs and tissues, our cardiovascular system must always maintain adequate blood pressure. If the blood pressure drops too low, these organs will not receive an adequate of nourishing blood. Also if the pressure goes too high, the walls of the arteries will stretch and increased activity within the baroreceptor, information will then be sent through the nerves to the cardio regulatory center within the medulla which will responds by initiating the mechanisms that decrease the blood pressure to a normal

Thank to my undergraduate education in biology at the Complutense University of Madrid, I gained a solid background in cell and molecular biology, biomedicine and neurobiology. My interest in the study of the functioning of the brain and, at the same time, my concern for the relative lack of knowledge of major neurological disorders such as epilepsy prompted me to extend my academic training in neurosciences at the VU University Amsterdam, where I benefited of a highly international and intellectually challenging environment. Due to my participation in numerous seminars, journal clubs and poster markets, I have developed a strong

CSF is produced by arterial blood coming mainly from the choroid plexus at a rate of about 500 ml per day. The clear, colorless fluid bathes the external surfaces its canals and ventricles. CSF protects the brain when jolted. It also keeps the brain buoyant and regulates the chemical environment of the brain. CSF reabsorbed by the arachnoid granules almost as quickly as it is produced, leaving about 150 mL in the body at any given time. CSF is found in the four ventricles of the brain which narrow into the central canal.

There is a complex interrelationship among the cardiovascular system, the central nervous system (Na+, appetite and thirst regulation), the kidneys, and the tissue capillary beds distribution of extracellular fluid volume). Any change at any of these sites affects the function at other sites. There is a basic law of kidneys that Na+ excretion is directly proportional to mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). A marginal increase in MABP causes significant increase in Na+ excretion.

It receives almost 14% of the total cardiac output. The average cerebral blood flow is 55ml/min/100gm of brain tissue, which can increase upto 100ml/min/100gm brain tissue in neonates. The brain also contributes to 25% of the Total Oxygen Consumption (3.5mlO2/min/100gm brain tissue). Studies have revealed that the white matter of the brain contributes to almost 94% of the cerebral oxygen consumption whereas the gray matter contributes the remaining 6%. The sensorimotor area of frontal cerebral cortex is most susceptible to ischemic brain injury

At least 1 million malnourished children die every year because they lack access to the necessary treatment; 17 million children suffer from severe acute malnutrition, a deadly condition if not treated according to Action against Hunger and organization taking steps to alleviate hunger around the world. Not only is malnutrition a current issue presiding in our world it is that of a growing nature and stemming far beyond that of a hunger issue. Inadequate intake of essential vitamins and nutrients has repercussions on the entire body. One of the most concerning aspects of malnutrition on the body is that of its impact on the brain. The brain is singularly in charge of thinking, conducting emotion and producing bodily reactions; with that the

The BBB evolved as an extremely tight barrier to protect the brain from potentially toxic compounds. Though it is an indispensable part of the Central Nervous System, its tightness makes delivering therapeutic drugs to the brain very difficult.