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The brain is protected by the bones of the skull and by a covering of three thin membranes called meninges. The brain is also cushioned and protected by cerebrospinal fluid. This watery fluid is produced by special cells in the four hollow spaces in the brain, called ventricles.
The nervous system is commonly divided into the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system is made up of the brain, its cranial nerves and the spinal cord.
The brain is protected from injury by the skull, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid and the blood-brain barrier.
The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, watery liquid that surrounds, cushions and protects the brain and spinal cord. The CSF also carries nutrients in the blood to (and removes waste products from) the brain. It circulates through chambers called ventricles and over the surface of the brain and spinal cord.
For further protection, the brain and spinal cord “float” in a sea of cerebrospinal fluid within the skull and spine. This cushioning fluid is produced by the choroid plexus tissue, which is located within the brain, and flows through a series of cavities (ventricles) out of the brain and down along the spinal cord.
Instead, water is primarily transported to the brain via a so-called co-transporter, which moves a certain amount of water when ions move across the tissue plexus choroideus. “It is brand new knowledge on a very important physiological process involving the by far most complex organ in the human body, namely the brain.
A hard blow to the head can shake your brain inside the skull. The result: bruises, broken blood vessels, or nerve damage to the brain. A hard hit that doesn’t cause bleeding or an opening in your skull could be a closed brain injury.
“The brain will attempt to protect itself,” she added. … The same way the body can wall-off an abscess or foreign substance to protect the rest of the body, the brain can dissociate from an experience. In the midst of trauma, the brain may wander off and work to avoid the memory.
The brain probably moves very little inside the skull — there are only a few millimeters of space in the cranial vault — and it’s filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which acts as a protective layer.
The dura provides the brain and spinal cord with an extra protective layer, helps to keep the CNS from being jostled around by fastening it to the skull or vertebral column, and supplies a complex system of veinous drainage through which blood can leave the brain.
Whereas the primary function of the brain stem is to regulate the most basic aspects of life, including motor functions, the limbic system is largely responsible for memory and emotions, including our responses to reward and punishment.
When the body is dehydrated, the brain can temporarily contract from fluid loss. This causes the brain to pull away from the skull, causing pain and resulting in a dehydration headache. Once rehydrated, the brain returns to its usual state, relieving the headache.
To keep your brain adequately hydrated, it is recommended that women consume 2 to 2.7 liters (8 to 11 cups) and men consume 2.5 to 3.7 liters (10 to 15 cups) of fluids per day, though individual needs may vary depending on activity level and medication use [9].
“Brain fog” isn’t a medical condition. It’s a term used for certain symptoms that can affect your ability to think. You may feel confused or disorganized or find it hard to focus or put your thoughts into words.
Macrocephaly refers to an overly large head. It’s often a symptom of complications or conditions in the brain. There’s a standard used to define macrocephaly: The circumference of a person’s head is more than two standard deviations above average for their age.
That gulping sends a message to the brain that water has been consumed, quieting the neurons that generate the urge to drink. But that happens regardless of whether the substance gulped was water or oil, suggesting that the act of gulping only briefly convinces your brain that your thirst is quenched.
Hydrocephalus is the buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid normally flows through the ventricles and bathes the brain and spinal column.
The brain itself does not feel pain because there are no nociceptors located in brain tissue itself. This feature explains why neurosurgeons can operate on brain tissue without causing a patient discomfort, and, in some cases, can even perform surgery while the patient is awake.
Does shaking your phone damage it? No, it generally doesn’t. A modern smartphone typically has no moving parts, so there’s nothing to break by shaking it. Of course, by shaking a phone vigorously, one runs the risk of losing grip of the phone and flinging it at the floor, walls, or other people.
The brain tissue is soft and therefore can be compressed (squeezed), pulled, and stretched. When there is sudden speeding up and slowing down, such as in a car crash or fall, the brain can move around violently inside the skull, resulting in injury.
Imaging studies suggest that the happiness response originates partly in the limbic cortex. Another area called the precuneus also plays a role.
Scientists believe suppressed memories are created by a process called state-dependent learning. When the brain creates memories in a certain mood or state, particularly of stress or trauma, those memories become inaccessible in a normal state of consciousness.