Brain structure and function
Brain and 10 Percent Myth Image by Cynthia Blair
What’s the harm in a little brain myth? Brain injury and brain myth - how does it impact on a person living with brain injury? And what has Willy Wonka got to do with it? When talking about brain injury and brain myth with a friend, she said "Just like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. We want the golden ticket. There is none." Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, is a film based on the book “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” written by Roald Dahl . A small added unrelated fact - in 2014 the book is celebrating 50 years since publication. A brief summary of relevant plot: A young boy, Charlie, finds a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory. A factory where the work is kept secret from the outside world. Charlie is one of 5 children who win a golden ticket allowing access to the chocolate factory. For those of you who do not know it, the…
Brain and 10 Percent Myth Image by new 1lluminati
Brain and 10 Percent Myth Image by new 1lluminati What does a science fiction movie,the brain 10 percent myth and 1,135,000 have to do with each other? The connection is through a much written about belief /myth that we only use 10 percent of our brain. That we have untapped resources we can call upon. Another 90%! This article looks further at the myth. Next week more about how it can impact on brain injury. To begin. The science fiction movie is “Lucy” is a movie directed by Luc Besson, released in 2014. The plot created a flurry of articles and comments about the myth that we supposedly have 90% of our brain that we do not use. ‘Lucy’ is a woman who gains increased brain powers from the absorption of a certain drug. At one point gaining 100% of her brain function (very short version of a long story, and ” No” I haven’t seen the movie). The 1,135,000 is the…
Image by
Kai Schreiber via Flickr.com
Our strengths are also our weaknesses. So it is said. This could also be said of our remarkable brain. The way our brain is protected and fed can be seen as a strength, it keeps the brain operating as captain of our ship, the composer of the orchestra, the boss of the factory - yes our entire body. Our system for brain protection and nutrition can also be a weakness. Well several weaknesses really. Damage to the brain’s system for nutrition and protection can cause temporary or permanent brain injury. Brain Protection and Nutrition: When a Weakness Appears. We have looked at how the brain is fed and protected. Little imperfections in most of our body's function we can get away with. In the brain this can cause major chaos. Today we go behind the scenes to look at how damage or injury to the brain protection and nutrition systems can cause such chaos and damage to the brain. To help…
Image by Zen Sutherland
Picture a fur coat, over a suit of armour, over a clingy, stretchy, body suit. Add a helpful river floating through, and an invisible fence. Seal it all up and there you have it: Brain Protection! We frequently marvel at the wonders of the brain and its structures. We know it controls all we do. It is also a mass of jelly that can’t look after itself. Damage to the delicate brain often happens because one or more of the systems that protect and feed the brain are interrupted or broken. How does brain protection happen? How does the brain get the food it needs to keep up? Brain Protection At Work? A series of layers protect and enclose the brain to help keep it safe. This protection is probably why many of us survive the bumps and falls of childhood, and the crazy things we do as adolescents and beyond. These layers are…
Image from SteveKent.net
The brain is such a celebrity, across the world; well known and famous. Yet it hides itself in a weird looking squishy greyish mass. That made me think about the paparazzi? Photographers who follow celebrities around taking photographs, even when celebrities are in disguise. Why not a paparazzi view of the brain? A quick, flashy, secretive look behind the disguise. Last week the overall structures of the brain was introduced. Today a snapshot look at the cerebrum, often simply termed the brain. Why Learn About the Brain? [unordered_list style="tick"] It helps figure out what outcomes you might see when a person has damage to a part or all of their brain. Mostly the part of brain damaged will determine physical and cognitive effects you see. Strategies can be developed through understanding the damage to brain and developing ways to work around it. It can help you to be more scientific and less emotional in your responses. It’s a good…
This article by Louis Cozolino originally appeared on Greater Good, the online magazine of UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. While I was on the trail, searching for information on a topic (I can no longer remember what in particular), I found the Greater Good Science Centre site. On this site I found all sorts of interesting and fascinating stuff about the brain, social and emotional wellbeing, compassion, empathy and so much more. One article captured my attention and with permission from Lou Cozolino and Greater Good, I reprint it here, along with other links Greater Good have provided. As I read this article, primarily about children and education, it seemed there was information that was useful for children living with brain injury, and also for adults. I have not read the book yet but would welcome comments from anyone who has. Nine Things Educators Need to Know About the Brain By Louis Cozolino | March 19, 2013 | In an excerpt from…
Face Blindness,(Prosopagnosia) is the lack of ability to recognise faces. Including people who are very familiar; sometimes even your own face. Today the focus is on Prosopagnosia, more commonly known as 'Face Blindness' after brain injury, other causes are also mentioned below. While the cause may be different, the outcome is similar. About Prosopagnosia or Face Blindness Over the past two weeks we talked about left brain right brain along with left and right brain function. Prosopagnosia, or face blindness as I will call it from here on in, was an example of what can happen when damage occurs. Reading about Prosopagnosia got me thinking. While I have met people who have face blindness after brain injury, I knew very little about it. Today I share what I have learned on my week of exploration. Some early learnings, I believe key points, that came to me while exploring face blindness were: [ordered_list style="lower-alpha"] a) This is not a person being rude…
There is something about the Left Brain Right Brain discussion that seems to capture the attention of more than just brain anatomy enthusiasts and ‘necessicists’. Yes I made that word up – it means someone who has to do something out of necessity. In this instance study brain anatomy. This week a bit about left brain and right brain. Next week the functions and what happens when one hemisphere is damaged. Why is understanding Left Brain Right Brain Relevant or Important to Brain Injury? [unordered_list style="green-dot"] It can help you understand the outcomes and behaviours you might see whatever the cause of brain injury. Understanding what areas of the brain might be damaged. Working out the difficulties a person might have following damage to specific areas. It can assist develop specific strategies to help work around the damage. Finally, as always, I am a pretty strong advocate for everyone becoming fascinated by the brain and what it can do. [/unordered_list] Why the…
Today, a look at what can happen when the work of the frontal lobe is interrupted or damaged. This builds on my attempt last week to simply explain what the frontal lobe does. How Does Frontal Lobe Damage Happen? Last week I mentioned a book I had found useful THE EXECUTIVE BRAIN: Frontal Lobes And The Civilized Mind by Dr Elkhonon Goldberg. In a Chapter entitled “When the Leader is Wounded” (yes your frontal lobe is the boss of the brain), he uses a military picture to describe how frontal lobe damage can happen. I will try and summarise what Dr Goldberg describes: If the leader is damaged, the soldiers (read 'soldiers' as 'other lobes of the brain') are without an organiser. The soldiers can’t sort out what needs to be done because they don't know what each other is doing, no-one is taking charge, and they can't do their job properly. If the links between the leader and the field are damaged…
The frontal lobe gets a lot of attention when talking about brain injury. It deserves to, it is important. Whatever the cause of brain injury, the frontal lobe is also a part of the brain often damaged. This can have a significant impact on a person’s life. How Important is the Frontal Lobe? "How come you get so much attention?" "Who me?" asks the Frontal Lobe explaining "I deserve it, I am terribly important, just ask anybody who has trouble with me!" "Why are you so special? "I am the boss. You might call me the 'Fat Controller' (the Fat Controller is so important, he has his own Wiki Page). I manage most of what the brain does. I keep you from doing really silly things and I am responsible for that charming personality you have". Now that was my attempt at making anatomy entertaining! My very own frontal lobe is telling me that this approach may be inappropriate, insensitive, and lacking…