Cole Winsor
Author: University of Utah Health Sciences
Published: may 15, 2014
link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140515123204.htm
summary: Mice with multiple sclerosis were able to walk after two weeks following treatment with human stem cells. It was first expected that the mice would reject the stem cells much like an organ transplant. However the scientist were all very surprised when the transplant worked and the rats were cured of their multiple sclerosis. after 10 to 14 days the rats could move again and after six months they still seemed fine. The treatment seemed to have a reversal of symptoms and could help people with more progressive forms of MS, which has no cure right now. in fact after i week there were no stem cells left in the mice, however in the time that the stem cells were present they sent out chemical signals, which caused a repair of the myelin. this could point to the possibility that drugs could be developed that mimicked these effects in a patient.
connection: This article connects to the systems of the human body. In this case it is focusing on the nervous system. multiple sclerosis is a disease which we learned about during the presentation on the nervous system by our classmates.It is an autoimmune disease which we also learned about in class. It talks about myelin sheaths, which are important in quickening nervous responses. that is how it connects to what we have learned about in class.
Showing posts with label nervous system. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nervous system. Show all posts
Monday, May 19, 2014
Why Athletes Are More Likely to Need Pacemakers in Old Age
Shaina Sikka
Period 2/Mr. Mathieu
Author: Unknown, Source is Manchester University Published: May 13, 2014
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140513113254.htm
Summary:
The University of Manchester has conducted a study in rodents that explains why athletes are more likely to need pacemakers in old age. Elder athletes can have arrhythmias, or heart rhythm disturbances. Their resting heart rate tends to be 30 beats per minute, while the average resting heart rate is 60 or more beats per minute. At first, scientists thought that the overuse of the vagal nerves, which lower heart rate, was a cause of the low heart rate in athletes. However, this study shows that the heart changes in training. In rodents, the heart’s pacemaker changes molecularly when exercising. Research shows that the amount of a pacemaker protein, HCN4, decreases in response to exercise and is the cause of lower heart rate. Researchers also say that by looking at the sinus node, which is a cardiac structure that generates heart rhythm, there can be a broader understanding of heart rhythm disturbances in athletes. However, frequent long-term exercise may have more advantageous effects that harmful.
Connection:
This connects to our curriculum on the systems in the human body. The pacemaker, or Sinoatrial node, is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. This system controls involuntary actions such as breathing and heartbeat. We learned how this system is divided into two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic division. The sympathetic raises the heartbeat, while the parasympathetic lowers that heartbeat. This is because sympathetic division increases the body’s activity, while the parasympathetic returns the body to its regular functions. This experiment also relates to our study on rats. Though this experiment used mice, rats have similar internal organs to humans, and since rats and mice are alike, it is possible that the scientists used a mouse for more accurate results.
Period 2/Mr. Mathieu
Author: Unknown, Source is Manchester University Published: May 13, 2014
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140513113254.htm
Summary:
The University of Manchester has conducted a study in rodents that explains why athletes are more likely to need pacemakers in old age. Elder athletes can have arrhythmias, or heart rhythm disturbances. Their resting heart rate tends to be 30 beats per minute, while the average resting heart rate is 60 or more beats per minute. At first, scientists thought that the overuse of the vagal nerves, which lower heart rate, was a cause of the low heart rate in athletes. However, this study shows that the heart changes in training. In rodents, the heart’s pacemaker changes molecularly when exercising. Research shows that the amount of a pacemaker protein, HCN4, decreases in response to exercise and is the cause of lower heart rate. Researchers also say that by looking at the sinus node, which is a cardiac structure that generates heart rhythm, there can be a broader understanding of heart rhythm disturbances in athletes. However, frequent long-term exercise may have more advantageous effects that harmful.
Connection:
This connects to our curriculum on the systems in the human body. The pacemaker, or Sinoatrial node, is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. This system controls involuntary actions such as breathing and heartbeat. We learned how this system is divided into two parts, the sympathetic and parasympathetic division. The sympathetic raises the heartbeat, while the parasympathetic lowers that heartbeat. This is because sympathetic division increases the body’s activity, while the parasympathetic returns the body to its regular functions. This experiment also relates to our study on rats. Though this experiment used mice, rats have similar internal organs to humans, and since rats and mice are alike, it is possible that the scientists used a mouse for more accurate results.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Why athletes are more likely to need pacemakers in old age
Article Title: Why athletes are more likely to need pacemakers in old age
Date Published: May 13, 2014
Summary:
The University of Manchester studied the effects of exercise on the heartbeat by measuring the heartbeat of seasoned athletes in their older age. The normal resting heart rate for an adult is between 60-100 BPM (beats per a minute) while the heartbeats of endurance athletes beat at 30 BPM when they are resting. It used to be believed that this condition was caused by an increased activity in the autonomic nervous system. The pacemaker was controlled by the vagal nerves, part of the autonomic nervous system, which is responsible for lowering the heart rate. But, according to another study by Manchester, there are molecular changes in the pacemaker of rodents when they are exposed to exercise training. A deficiency in an important pacemaker protein , called HCN4 , leads to the abnormally low heart rate. The protein is used in the sinus node(pacemaker), which controls the heart’s rhythm. This whole problem leads to older athletes to need an artificial pacemaker
Connection:
During this term, we learned about how the heartbeat is controlled. The pacemaker sets the rate for contraction by creating electrical impulses which then go to the AV node. We learned that the pacemaker is controlled by the nervous system, more specifically the autonomic part. Also, one of the primary reasons that a rat was used in the other study is because their body organs and body systems are very similar to ours. We even did a whole two day dissection where we saw the similarities. we also learned about the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is further divided into the sympathetic division and parasympathetic division . The sympathetic division increases body activity while the parasympathetic division returns the body to it’s normal functions. But more relevantly, the parasympathetic division decreases heart rate by controlling the pacemaker.
Manchester University. "Why athletes are more likely to need pacemakers in old age." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 May 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140513113254.htm>.
New Effective Treatment for High Blood Pressure? Removing tiny organ
Becky Nitschelm
Author: University of Bristol
Published: Sep 3 2013
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130903113300.htm
Summary:
New research has been discovered that removing a small organ on the carotid arteries could decrease hypertension, or high blood pressure. When there is a decreased amount of oxygen in the blood, the brain responds by sending a signal to the heart to beat faster and breath faster, increasing the blood pressure and breathing rate. This gets the oxygen levels back to normal. The small organ, known as the carotid body, sends the nervous signal to the brain that the oxygen levels are low. Keeping the blood pressure at a normal rate is important to supply the brain with enough blood. However, researchers have discovered that removing the carotid body rapidly decreases blood pressure and keeps it at the constant low rate. A human test is going on now to see the results between different patients on a larger scale at the University of Bristol.
Connection
In our study of the human body, we learned about the circulatory system and the many problems that can occur that result in a loss of homeostasis. One of those problems that we studied was hypertension. Therefore this article relates to what we have studied because it talks about a way to resolve this problem and bring the circulatory back to its homeostatic balance. In addition, we learned about reactions to the oxygen level in blood being too low. This article talks about an increased breathing rate, which we talked about in class, caused by a signal sent by the nervous system. We also studied the nervous system in class and how these signals are sent to the brain.
Author: University of Bristol
Published: Sep 3 2013
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130903113300.htm
Summary:
New research has been discovered that removing a small organ on the carotid arteries could decrease hypertension, or high blood pressure. When there is a decreased amount of oxygen in the blood, the brain responds by sending a signal to the heart to beat faster and breath faster, increasing the blood pressure and breathing rate. This gets the oxygen levels back to normal. The small organ, known as the carotid body, sends the nervous signal to the brain that the oxygen levels are low. Keeping the blood pressure at a normal rate is important to supply the brain with enough blood. However, researchers have discovered that removing the carotid body rapidly decreases blood pressure and keeps it at the constant low rate. A human test is going on now to see the results between different patients on a larger scale at the University of Bristol.
Connection
In our study of the human body, we learned about the circulatory system and the many problems that can occur that result in a loss of homeostasis. One of those problems that we studied was hypertension. Therefore this article relates to what we have studied because it talks about a way to resolve this problem and bring the circulatory back to its homeostatic balance. In addition, we learned about reactions to the oxygen level in blood being too low. This article talks about an increased breathing rate, which we talked about in class, caused by a signal sent by the nervous system. We also studied the nervous system in class and how these signals are sent to the brain.
Researchers Discover How ALS Spreads
Adhirath Bollapragada
18 May 2014
University of British Columbia
Published: 18 February 2014
Summary:
The fatal neurodegenerative disease ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, has been under investigation by researchers, and in particular, how it spreads. New findings suggest that transmission can be blocked, and that misfolded non-mutant SOD1 can be transmitted from region to region in the nervous system, offering a molecular explanation for the progressive nature of the spread. ALS is a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. There are approximately 140,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year.
Connection:
This connects to our first unit on the Human Body, where we learnt about the Nervous System. We learnt about the motor neurons and how they send the information back to where the sensory neurons received received information. This article connects to the nervous system as it talks about how ALS can break down the motor neurons in the nervous system. In addition to connecting with the nervous system, this article also talks about mutation and how genetic mutation can cause mutation in protein. As a result, this article relates back to our unit on DNA and RNA.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Be Happy, Be Healthy
Victoria Zhou
Author: Jo Marchant, Nature Magazine
Published: November 27, 2013
Link: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-happiness-boosts-the-immune-system/
Summary:
A branch of science which is usually scoffed at by esteemed biologists and chemists knows as psychoneuroimmunology(PNI) has recently attracted a lot of attention. PNI is a field which studies how moods connect to the immune and nervous system. Stress and sickness has been a long linked duo but with little explanation. Steve Cole, a current professor at the University of California, has performed studies with his colleagues regarding negative states of mind and their affects on the human genome. The research identified 209 genes which differed in self-labeled lonely people and people who had strong social connections. these genes were found to be associated with inflammation, which were upregulated in lonely people, and genes with roles in fighting viruses, which were downregulated in the lonely people. Cole's explanation for this is that it would make sense from an evolutionary standpoint as people in large packs were exposed to more viruses and would need to be able to fend them off, and people who traveled in smaller packs or in solitary would be more likely to be cut, in which inflammation would help with healing. However, in modern times the constant inflammation could lead to diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and diabetes. Other projects were conducted with different scenarios, regarding both negative and positive states of mind, with varying populations leading to the idea that mental state has much to do with physical state. Regardless, there are still many who are skeptical of the data and wary of PNI, but it is still an up and coming field.
Connection:
This article connects to our unit on the nervous system and the immune system. We learned that the systems all rely on the other to survive and the article highlights the connections between the two systems and how one may affect the other. The immune system helps fight off diseases using inflammation which too much of is also related to diseases regarding the circulatory system, atherosclerosis. Thus, we are able to see just how thoroughly entwined the body systems are. The article similarly connects to our study of genetics and evolution as it linked the connection of the immune system and moods to a varying set of genes within people with different social activity levels. Genetic variation would allow the 209 genes mentioned in the article to be overactive or more sedative, respectively, in groups of humans who would stay more solitary versus humans in larger groups.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Sophia Li
Author: Hui Chen
Published: April 1, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140401173136.htm
Summary
Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has recently been approved in Europe as a basic therapy for multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that affects nerve fibers by damaging their myelin sheaths. The cause of multiple sclerosis is uknown and the disease has no cure, but there are several possible treatments for affected people. Basic MS therapy usually involves beta interferons or glatiramer acetate, which are administered by injections under the skin or into the muscle, causing great discomfort to many patients. However, DMF can be taken as a tablet and has much less side effects. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research and the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Lubeck used a standardized mouse model of multiple sclerosis, whereby drugs trigger an autoimmune response. Using this model, they induced neurological deficits similar to those observed in multiple sclerosis. In this experiment, the group treated with DMF had significantly less problems in motor function than the control group. Researchers also discovered that DMF's protective effect is due to the HCA2 receptor. The activation of the HCA2 receptor is responsible for infiltration of the CNS, and DMF blocks this infiltration, theryby preventing inflammation. In mice without the HCA2 receptor, DMF was unable to prevent the signs or paralysis caused by multiple sclerosis. Scientists believe that patients respond differently to DMF treatment because individual genetic differences infulence the efficacy of DMF. Researchers also intend to search for additional substances that bind to the HCA2 receptor that may even have a greater efficacy with fewer side effects.
Connection
This article connects to our study of nervous system, the immune system, and autoimmune diseases. We learned in class that autoimmune diseases are caused when the immune system turns against some of the body's own molecules or "self"cells. While studying about the immune and nervous system, we learned that multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. T cells attack the myelin sheaths that cover the axons of neurons. Multiple sclerosis can cause fatigue, tingling, and numbness, as well as interfere with memory, talking, and concentration. As mentioned in the article, while there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, there are many treatments. Medicines for autoimmune diseases usually replace the destroyed "self cells," suppress the immune response, or treat specific symptoms. DMF is an example of one of these medicines.
Author: Hui Chen
Published: April 1, 2014
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140401173136.htm
Summary
Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) has recently been approved in Europe as a basic therapy for multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that affects nerve fibers by damaging their myelin sheaths. The cause of multiple sclerosis is uknown and the disease has no cure, but there are several possible treatments for affected people. Basic MS therapy usually involves beta interferons or glatiramer acetate, which are administered by injections under the skin or into the muscle, causing great discomfort to many patients. However, DMF can be taken as a tablet and has much less side effects. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research and the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Lubeck used a standardized mouse model of multiple sclerosis, whereby drugs trigger an autoimmune response. Using this model, they induced neurological deficits similar to those observed in multiple sclerosis. In this experiment, the group treated with DMF had significantly less problems in motor function than the control group. Researchers also discovered that DMF's protective effect is due to the HCA2 receptor. The activation of the HCA2 receptor is responsible for infiltration of the CNS, and DMF blocks this infiltration, theryby preventing inflammation. In mice without the HCA2 receptor, DMF was unable to prevent the signs or paralysis caused by multiple sclerosis. Scientists believe that patients respond differently to DMF treatment because individual genetic differences infulence the efficacy of DMF. Researchers also intend to search for additional substances that bind to the HCA2 receptor that may even have a greater efficacy with fewer side effects.
Connection
This article connects to our study of nervous system, the immune system, and autoimmune diseases. We learned in class that autoimmune diseases are caused when the immune system turns against some of the body's own molecules or "self"cells. While studying about the immune and nervous system, we learned that multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the central nervous system. T cells attack the myelin sheaths that cover the axons of neurons. Multiple sclerosis can cause fatigue, tingling, and numbness, as well as interfere with memory, talking, and concentration. As mentioned in the article, while there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, there are many treatments. Medicines for autoimmune diseases usually replace the destroyed "self cells," suppress the immune response, or treat specific symptoms. DMF is an example of one of these medicines.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Greater Understanding of Tumor Growth Mechanism
Greater Understanding of Tumor Growth Mechanism
Science Daily (May 16th, 2013)
By: Marshall Grant
Summary:
A recent study conducted by researchers at the Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry has discovered for the first time how the loss of a particular tumor suppressing protein can lead to the abnormal growth of tumors throughout the nervous system and the brain.
Tumor suppressing genes are vital to prevent the abnormal growth of cells within parts of our body. A new tumor suppressor discovered, called Merlin, is vital to the sustainability of our nervous system to prevent abnormal growth denying critical functions and processes. Two copies of this tumor suppressor is found on one of each chromosome passed down from each parent. The loss of Merlin is caused by a random loss of both copies in a single cell, causing sporadic tumors to develop. Inheriting one abnormal copy and loosing the second copy throughout a person's lifetime is seen in the inherited condition Neurofibromatosis Type 2.
The tumors generated from lack of the Merlin protein develops in cells called Schwann cells that form the sheaths that surround neurons. Tumors of these cells can block the vital functions of the neurons which is the basic structure of the nervous system and more importantly the brain. Tumors caused by lack of Merlin protein also can effect hearing, variety of disabilities, and eventually death.
This new study also investigated the loss of a protein called Sox10 which functions in the cause of these tumors. They develop Schwann cells and are a mechanism in the reproduction and sudden development of such tumors of Schwann cells.
One of the researchers said, "We have for the first time shown that human schwannoma cells have reduced expression of Sox10 protein and messenger RNA. By identifying this correlation and gaining an understanding of the mechanism of this process, we hope that drug-based therapies may in time be created and introduced that will reduce or negate the need for multiple surgery or radiotherapy."
The study is published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology.
Leave comments and questions down below...
The tumors generated from lack of the Merlin protein develops in cells called Schwann cells that form the sheaths that surround neurons. Tumors of these cells can block the vital functions of the neurons which is the basic structure of the nervous system and more importantly the brain. Tumors caused by lack of Merlin protein also can effect hearing, variety of disabilities, and eventually death.
This new study also investigated the loss of a protein called Sox10 which functions in the cause of these tumors. They develop Schwann cells and are a mechanism in the reproduction and sudden development of such tumors of Schwann cells.
One of the researchers said, "We have for the first time shown that human schwannoma cells have reduced expression of Sox10 protein and messenger RNA. By identifying this correlation and gaining an understanding of the mechanism of this process, we hope that drug-based therapies may in time be created and introduced that will reduce or negate the need for multiple surgery or radiotherapy."
The study is published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology.
Leave comments and questions down below...
Connection:
This article connects to our biology class because it focuses on the basic function of cells and the effects of proteins on the Human Body Systems. Both the nervous and immune system are effected from lack of vital tumor suppressing proteins such as Merlin. Tumors and abnormal growth of cells can deny the basic functions of neurons and blood cells throughout the body. It is intriguing to learn more about how cancerous cells and their outcome effect an entire body system as a whole, just like we are trying to learn more in our biology class.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Better Hearing- Bionically
Jack Billings
Published: Monday, May 13, 2013
Source: saga.co.uk
Author: Lesley Dobson
Summary:
Scientists at Princeton University have developed an ear in their laboratories that can “hear” all of the sounds that a human ear can, but at a much larger range and with the addition of other waves (such as radio waves that are too high-pitched for a human ear to detect. The scientists are working on efficient and versatile ways to merge this dog-like electronic ear with human tissue. They used a 3D printer to construct the ear out of plastic and cells. This “bionic ear” has a coil antenna that the scientists have fused with cartilage to be used as both an antenna and a wire that may eventually be able to be connected to a human’s inner ear.
Connection:
This new innovation in hearing technology connects to our studies of the human nervous system. It helps synthesize the types of neurotransmitters in the ear that we discussed in our study of the peripheral and central nervous systems. The synthetic ear has two wires that go from the base of the ear and wind around the helical cochlea and can connect to electrodes. Like a hearing aid, the electrical signals from the synthetic ear could be connected to the patient’s nerve endings.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Skin cancer associated with lower risk of developing Alsheimer's
May 16, 2013
Summary
Albert Einstein College of Medicine recently conducted a study to observe the relationship between non-melanoma skin cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Richard Lipton theorized that cancer's constant cell division would protect against the death of specific groups of cells characteristic of Alzheimer's. Lipton gathered and observed 1,102 people averaging 79 years old for around 3.7 years. Originally, no one had been diagnosed with dementia and 109 individuals had been diagnosed in the past. By the end of the study, 126 people developed dementia (100 were Alzheimer's) and 141 people had developed skin cancer. Only two people with skin cancer also developed Alzheimer's. This implied that people with skin cancer were 80% less likely to develop Alzheimer's. Currently, it is unknown why non-melanoma skin cancer actually reduces the likeliness of developing Alzheimer's.
Connection
This article relates to our study of the human body systems because both skin cancer and Alzheimer's disease impair the functions of the important body systems. Skin cancer affects the Integumentary system that protects the internal organs important to human survival. Alzheimers affects the central nervous system that receives, processes, and sends signals to the peripheral nervous system.
New Approach to Treatments for MS
Published May 17, 2013 by Science Daily
Summary
New
research done by scientists at UC Davis have found a new possible
approach in improving drugs to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating
diseases. MS is a disease in which the myelin sheath of neurons is
damaged, slowing the transmission of nerve signals. The scientists
identified a protein that could be targeted in designing drugs to treat
the disease. The protein is known as mitochondrial translocator protein
(TSPO) and is located on the outer surface of mitochondria. It was
previously known but not linked to MS. Scientists identified the protein
as a possible therapeutic target when mice with symptoms of MS were
treated with the anti-anxiety drug etifoxine, which interacts with TSPO.
The results of their study showed that mice given the drug before
clinical signs of the disease then had less severe disease symptoms than
those that were not treated. At the peak of the severity of MS, mice
who were given the drug improved. The discovery of etifoxine’s
beneficial effects in treating MS suggests that drugs that
bind to TSPO may be able to help repair the myelin sheath, which is important
because current FDA-approved treatments do not do so.
Connection
This
connects to our study of the nervous system, since the disease affects
the myelin sheaths of neurons in the central nervous system. It also
relates to our study of homeostasis and the relationship between
structure and function; in MS, when the myelin sheath is damaged,
function is consequently disrupted because the transmission of nerve
signals is impaired.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Fast and Painless Way to Better Mental Arithmetic? Yes, There Might Actually Be a Way
May 16, 2013
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516123912.htm
Summary
In a recent study, researchers have reported an improvement in mental math using brain stimulation. Scientists, including Roi Cohen Kadosh, applied a harmless form of brain stimulation to an area known to be important for math ability. With just five days of cognitive training and brain stimulation, they brought about long-lasting brain function improvements that held for around six months. This new method of stimulation, called transcranial random noise stimulation (TRNS), works, but the scientists have not exactly figured out how. They think it allows the brain to work more efficiently by firing neurons in a more synchronized manner. TRNS has been shown to improve mental arithmetic, which more than 20% of people struggle with. Cohen Kadosh thinks this work could help humans reach their math potential and beyond, as well as helping those with neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, or learning disabilities. Also, since math is a complex cognitive ability, they think they will be able to enhance simpler cognitive functions with this stimulation.
Connection
This article connects with our study of the nervous system. The brain, which is the core processing center of the nervous system, has different regions that specialize in different functions. The area stimulated in this experiment in important for performing mathematics. Also, we learned about neurons and how they are sent. The more frequent the neurons are fired, the stronger the effect will be on the brain's processing. TRNS may help in doing this.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130516123912.htm
Summary
In a recent study, researchers have reported an improvement in mental math using brain stimulation. Scientists, including Roi Cohen Kadosh, applied a harmless form of brain stimulation to an area known to be important for math ability. With just five days of cognitive training and brain stimulation, they brought about long-lasting brain function improvements that held for around six months. This new method of stimulation, called transcranial random noise stimulation (TRNS), works, but the scientists have not exactly figured out how. They think it allows the brain to work more efficiently by firing neurons in a more synchronized manner. TRNS has been shown to improve mental arithmetic, which more than 20% of people struggle with. Cohen Kadosh thinks this work could help humans reach their math potential and beyond, as well as helping those with neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, or learning disabilities. Also, since math is a complex cognitive ability, they think they will be able to enhance simpler cognitive functions with this stimulation.
Connection
This article connects with our study of the nervous system. The brain, which is the core processing center of the nervous system, has different regions that specialize in different functions. The area stimulated in this experiment in important for performing mathematics. Also, we learned about neurons and how they are sent. The more frequent the neurons are fired, the stronger the effect will be on the brain's processing. TRNS may help in doing this.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Brain Frontal Lobes Not Sole Center of Human Intelligence, Comparative Research Suggests
May 13, 2013
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513152827.htm
Summary
People believe that the enlarged frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for human intelligence. Other areas of the brain, such as the cerebellum, are considered "primitive". However, in a study by Durham and Reading universities, these "primitive" areas are actually equally important in contributing to humans' superior cognitive abilities. For example, damage to the cerebellum is a factor for autism and dyslexia. When looking at the frontal lobes, the size of the frontal lobes are exactly the expected size if a non-human brain was scaled up to human size. Therefore, the human brain did not evolve only because of a size increase in the frontal lobes. Scientists from Durham and Reading universities argue that many of our abilities are carried out by brain networks linking different parts of the brain, and that these structures (rather than one enlarged brain area) are more critical for our intelligence and cognitive functioning.
Connection
This article connects to our unit on the skeletal, nervous, and muscular systems because it connects to the brain and the nervous system. For example, the article shows that the brain has many parts such as the frontal lobes and cerebellum, and the belief of what the different parts function for. The frontal lobes are generally viewed as responsible for human intelligence, but this article argues that this common fact might be wrong.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130513152827.htm
Summary
People believe that the enlarged frontal lobes of the brain are responsible for human intelligence. Other areas of the brain, such as the cerebellum, are considered "primitive". However, in a study by Durham and Reading universities, these "primitive" areas are actually equally important in contributing to humans' superior cognitive abilities. For example, damage to the cerebellum is a factor for autism and dyslexia. When looking at the frontal lobes, the size of the frontal lobes are exactly the expected size if a non-human brain was scaled up to human size. Therefore, the human brain did not evolve only because of a size increase in the frontal lobes. Scientists from Durham and Reading universities argue that many of our abilities are carried out by brain networks linking different parts of the brain, and that these structures (rather than one enlarged brain area) are more critical for our intelligence and cognitive functioning.
Connection
This article connects to our unit on the skeletal, nervous, and muscular systems because it connects to the brain and the nervous system. For example, the article shows that the brain has many parts such as the frontal lobes and cerebellum, and the belief of what the different parts function for. The frontal lobes are generally viewed as responsible for human intelligence, but this article argues that this common fact might be wrong.
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