Write the term next to the definition.

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Deleterious -del.ɪˈtɪr.i.əs  / Neurobiology  / visceral / neuroplasticity / Neurogenesis /

Neurofeedback / amyloid-beta protein

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1. The study of cells of the nervous system and the organization of these cells into functional circuits that process information.  

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2. It is very important because other things depend on it.

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3. It’s a major component of senile plaques that commonly exist in the brain of Alzheimer's disease. 

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4. The process of growing brain cells in the brain.  

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5. Assists subjects to control their brain waves consciously.

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6. It causes harm or damage. 

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7. It refers to the physiological changes in the brain that happen as the result of our interactions with our environment. From the time the brain begins to develop in utero until the day we die. 

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Our brains contain approximately 100 billion neurons, or brain cells, which are some of the longest-living cells in the body. The vast majority of the neurons we’re born with and develop as a child remain with us for our entire lives. It’s why maintaining your neuronal health is critical to your long-term cognitive functions. Finally, some Scientists used to think we couldn’t grow new neurons as adults, but as it turns out. They were wrong. You can produce new brain cells as you age even if you are in your seventies, or eighties. The process of growing new brain cells is called neurogenesis. It takes place in the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped structure located deep inside the brain’s inner regions that plays a major role in memory and learning.

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The brain-cell growth in the hippocampus can also play a role in slowing or even reversing the progression of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's. Both Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity, or changes in neural connection from learning, demonstrate the brain's ability to change over a person’s lifetime. Growing new neurons is one way we can remodel our brain, giving us the lifelong ability to improve our cognitive function.

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Blood flow

Our brain takes up only 2 percent of our total body weight, it requires 15 to 20 percent of the body’s total blood supply. Your body will even stop directing circulation to other organs in order to maintain a flow of oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to your cerebral headquarters.

The brain also uses three times as much oxygen as your muscles do. Blood is the only way to get oxygen to your brain cells so that they can function, fire and signal efficiently without proper blood flow, bran cells being to die.

Blood is also de brain’s only source of glucose, or sugar which brain cells suck up for fuel. Unlike your muscles, the brains can’t store glucose, so if you’re not getting enough blood to the brain. You’re staring your cerebral tissue. And your brain is a hungry organ: it consumes 40 to 60 percent of the body’s total blood glucose. If you reduce your brain’s nutrients and oxygen supply by even a fraction, you can reduce your brain’s ability to activate the areas that help dictate mood and cognitive function, including the ability to concentrate, remember details, come up with new ideas, make good decisions and multitask.

There’s another crucial role cerebral circulation plays: rinsing away tissue of metabolic waste that can build up over time. This includes the amyloid-beta protein, a protein that can become toxic when accumulated in the brain and has been associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease.

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If you’re suffering from brain fog, concentration issues or memory problems, you might blame a number of other issues-poor sleep, stress, bad diet, or maybe an underactive thyroid- before you’d ever think about your cerebral circulation. It’s simply not a common aspect that most patients or health practitioners consider.

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Calming your Sympathetic Nervous system

According to the Mayo clinic stress is a ‘normal physiological and physical reaction to the demands of life’. In other words, stress has a few advantages. The body’s fight or flight response- a chain of reactions that occurs whenever we face a suddenly stressful or even life-threatening situation- triggers the production of hormones, chemicals and brain activity that we need. In Addition to adding in life-or-death situation, stress has other healthy functions. A modicum of acute stress can help motivate us to take action, hone our focus and give a sense of fulfillment or accomplishment after the stressful event ends. But after the stress full event ends Otherwise, too much stress, sustained over a period of time, is detrimental to the brain. Prolonged stress slows cerebral circulation by causing plaque buildup that narrow arteries and can constrict or even permanently damage the brain’s blood vessels. When we’re stresses, our muscles tense, particularly in our neck, further reducing blood flow to the brain.

 

Chronic stress is quite harmful for our brain’ function, if your stress levels are elevated for too long, your brain can’t engage in neurogenesis and even worse start killing cells. Chronical streel can be deleterious causing everything from weight gain and sleep disruptions to causing the hippocampus to shrink, interfering with our ability to concentrate and recall facts and circumstances. At the same time, the hormone can increase the size and activity level of your amygdala, an almond-shaped group of neurons that helps us attach emotional significance to memories. A larger and more active amygdala can make us more sensitive to fear and anxiety.

 

Brain biology

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The amygdala is one of the brain’s fascinating structures located near the hippocampus. It is responsible for helping control our fear response, emotions and sense of pleasure. The fear response triggered by the amygdala can be intense a visceral- one. Sometimes the amygdala can respond with fear before other areas of our rational brain have time to ‘think’ about it, subsequently shutting down neural pathways that allow for good decision-making’ called an ‘amygdala hijack’ the condition can cause people to overreact.

Size matters when it comes to the amygdala. The bigger it is, the more aggressive you’re likely to be. Studies show those with psychopathic tendencies tend to have larger and more active amygdala’ Some people have even undergone surgery to remove the amygdala in order to limit aggression and curtail fear and anxiety.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Activity 1.

Answer the questions below:

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1. What is the importance of neurogenesis?

2. What brain lobe does neurogenesis take place?

3. Can chronical stress stop the processing of new brain cells on the brain?

4. What happens when your brain's neural pathways shut down?

5. What part of the brain manage the sense of pleasure on the brain?

6. What happens when the hippocampus shrinks?

7. How does neurofeedback differ from neuroplasticity?

8. What can occur when the cerebral circulation slows on the brain?

9. Does our brain need more oxygen that muscles?

 

 

Activity 2.

Choose the correct options.

 

1.It has the shape of an almond.

a. Hippocampus

b. amygdala

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2. Cognitive function boost only relies on.

a. Brain cells growth

b. Blood flow

 

3. Amyloid-beta protein is only triggered by.

a. The amygdala

b. The production of hormones

c. Reduction of brain’s nutrients

d. Poor blood flow

 

4. Neurons only start dying when 

a. The brain can’t obtain enough oxygen.

b. Lack of glucose

c. The hippocampus shrinks.

d. Not enough blood

e. High levels of stress

 

5. The brain’s blood vessels are permanently damaged when.

a. Sustained long periods of stress.

b. Reduction of blood flow

c. Amygdala is larger.

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Activity 3.

Match true or false

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1. The neurons we were born with will die during lifetime.

True ( ) False ( )

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2. An almond-shaped group of neurons that helps us attach emotional significance to memories

True ( ) False ( )

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3. If brain-cell growth increases people won’t developed Alzheimer disease in advanced ages.

True ( ) False ( )

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4. Our brain consumes approximately 50 percent of the body’s total blood glucose.

True ( ) False ( )

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5. Narrow arteries are the result of the limited blood flow in the brain.

True ( ) False ( )

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6. Older people will only produce new brain cells until they are in their eighties.

True ( ) False ( )

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7. The brain can’t engage in neurogenesis when it is under stress.

True ( ) False ( )

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Activity 4

Write the number of the paragraph that indicates the following information.

 

1.Nervous system functions. ( )

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2. It is responsible for helping control our fear response. ( )

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3. The brain-cell growth in the hippocampus can also play a role in slowing or even reversing the progression of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s. ( )

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4. It consumes 40 to 60 percent of the body’s total blood glucose. ( )

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5. Hone our focus and give a sense of fulfillment or accomplish after the stressful event ends.

 

6.If you’re suffering from brain fog, concentration issues or memory problems, you might blame a number of other issues-poor sleep, stress ( )

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Activity 5.

Label the brain parts in the picture:

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1.Frontal lobe.

2.Hippocampus

3.Amygdala

 

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Activity 6

Fill the chart based on the text and video.

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Activity 7 

Open Ended questions

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1. Do you think that taking care of the brain is essential for the proper functioning of the body?

2. Did the coronavirus affect your emotional and mental health? How?

3. Based on the video, have you ever tried to modify your habits, how hard was it for you?

4. What is more important for your mental health or physical health? Why?

5. Would you support the idea of removing the amygdalates of people who displayed violent tendencies in order to prevent homicides and femicides?

7. Must all the people know about the brain itself and its functions?

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