PROTECT your brain cells (II)

 

This picture illustrates the vital component cell and connectivity in our brain - the neuron or nerve cell.  An average human brain contains about 100 billion of such neurons which are connected at about one trillion points known as synapses. The signals that form your memories and thoughts move across the neurons as minute electric charges. When these charges reach a synapse, they trigger the release of the brain chemicals called neurotransmitters to enable signals to transmit to other nerve cells in progression.

Inadequate supply of neurotransmitters can render the mind to malfunction, resulting in a temporary blackout, loss of memory or permanent failure.


Functions of the brain

The brain weighing a mere 1.5 kg is the focal point of our thinking, feeling and behavior, that defines the characteristics of human nature – personality, temperament and impulses. Found within, the master gland known as pituitary gland, plays a vital role in regulating all the other functions of the hormonal glands in our body.

This explains why such a small organ consumes about 80% of available energy daily. This includes 15% of cardiac output, 20% of all oxygen consumption and 25% of total body glucose utilisation (glycogen is brain food). 

Hence, a disruption to the brain’s blood supply can impair its functioning and cause behavioral and personality changes at time.

Knowledge of brain-behavior relationships, the core basis of a scientific discipline named neuropsychology, plays a pivotal role in understanding the role reasons for some unusual behaviour associated with some mental disorders like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson disease, schizophrenia, autism, depression, down syndrome and mania.

Unique features of the brain

Our brain pieced together with the spinal cord and peripheral ganglia, constitute the nervous system. With the exception of neural stem cells and a few other types of neurons, neurons do not undergo cell division and thus no regeneration of cells.

Note the peculiarity of our brain in that it is usually utilised up to 10% of capacity because most areas are channeled for storage purpose and random use only. People who use their talent to focus on a specific area tend to gain a stretch of the portion of the brain reserved for that purpose. For instance, Einstein registered at 27% widening of that section of his brain cut out for creativity.

Brain structure

A human brain is grossly divided into the interconnected left and right hemispheres, each with four functionally distinctive regions normally working concurrently: temporal (language processing and memory), occipital (vision), parietal (somatic or bodily sensations) and frontal (executive functions and planning).

Downsizing to cellular level, every neuron is surrounded by a plasma membrane, a bilayer of lipid molecules with many types of protein structures embedded in it – an important one is lecithin containing unsaturated fats, choline, glycerols and phospholipids. Basically it acts as a powerful electrical insulator.

A number of specialized types of neurons exist:

- Sensory neurons respond to touch, sound, light and numerous other stimuli affecting cells of the sensory organs that then send signals to the spinal cord and brain.

- Motor neurons receive signals from the brain and spinal cord, cause muscle contractions, and affect glands.

- Interneurons connect neurons to other neurons within the same region of the brain or spinal cord.

A neuron is made up of 4 parts:

+ Cell body or soma
The soma is the central part of the neuron. It contains the nucleus of the cell, and therefore is where most protein synthesis occurs

+ Dendrites
Thin structures that branch out in multiples from the cell body, often extending for hundreds of micrometres giving rise to a tree-shaped complex

+ Axon
An axon is a special cellular extension that arises from the cell body in single form at a site called the axon hillock (the part of the neuron that has the greatest density of voltage-dependent sodium channels) and travels for a distance, as far as 1 m in humans or even more in other species, giving rise to hundreds of branches along the way. It is often possible for severed peripheral axons to regrow but take longer time.

+ Axon terminals
At the tip of the axon, the axon terminal contains synapses, specialized structures where neurotransmitter chemicals are released to communicate with target neurons.
Communication is usually passed on when signals are sent from the axon of one neuron to a dendrite or soma of another. Exceptions do happen eg. neurons that lack dendrites or have no axon; synapses that connect an axon to another axon or a dendrite to another dendrite.

Communication within….

Imagine the cell as our earth encrusted with an ozone layer and the core where major activities take place.

The interior of the neurons are electrically active where ion channels are found that discharge electrical ions to flow across the membrane, and ion pumps that actively transport ions from one side of the membrane to the other.

Most ion channels are permeable only to specific types of ions and some are voltage-gated, meaning that they can be switched between open and closed states by altering the voltage difference across the membrane. Others are chemically gated, meaning that they can be switched between open and closed states by interactions with chemicals that diffuse through the extracellular fluid.

The interactions between ion channels and ion pumps produce a voltage difference across the membrane. This voltage has dual functions: first, to provide a power source for an assortment of voltage-dependent protein machinery that is embedded in the membrane; second, to provide a basis for electrical signal transmission between different parts of the membrane.

Signal out…..

Neurons communicate by chemical and electrical synapses in a process known as synaptic transmission. The fundamental process that triggers synaptic transmission is the action potential, a propagating electrical signal that is generated by harnessing the energy generated on the membrane of the neuron.

Imagine axons as the wire cables. Thin neurons and axons require less metabolic effort to produce and carry the action potentials, but thicker axons convey impulses more rapidly. To minimize such metabolic expense while maintaining rapid conduction, many neurons have insulated myelin sheaths around their axons to aid in speeding up than in unmyelinated axons of the same diameter.


What can go wrong?


With increasing age, the brain undergoes a number of changes that affect its functionality:


+  Certain areas of the brain actually shrink, including the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, which are involved in memory, learning and other complex mental activities.


+  Not only neurons shrink, the connections between the neurons also deteriorate and become less extensive, causing the level of neurotransmitters to decrease.


+  The aging brain undergoes a gradual reduction in blood flow and may accelerate the process of inflammation within. In a stroke incident, the blood supply to a certain region of the brain is interrupted due to blockage or rupture of blood vessels. Lacking blood supply for a short intermittent period can lead to irreversible cell death and half functioning in that specific region. The patient can lose expressive speech, voluntary control of the arms and legs, or emotional control.


+  The deteriorating effect is worsened with free radical attacks from external sources.


+  One’s brain cells can die gradually if they are underutilised for prolonged period or lack of nourishment. Hence, it is advisable to keep the mind alert by thinking hard, interact with more people daily and avoid too much idling moments like watching soap operas on television.


Other associated disorders -

+ Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disorder that results from demyelination of axons in the brain and spinal cord. The nerve damage is caused by inflammation which occurs when the body’s own immune cells attack the nervous system, commonly linked to a virus or genetic defect, or a combination of both. Most sufferers are women in the age group 20-40.

+ Dementia is the medical term used to describe a group of symptoms consisting of memory loss, impaired judgment, disorientation and behavioral changes, which are of sufficient severity to cause loss of function. It is not part of normal aging, although the elderly are more susceptible to becoming demented. In our modern societies school children and working adults under stress can be victims of dementia too. A simple test to conduct is to replay all happenings for the last 3 days. If you failed to recall most matters, beware that dementia is developing within.

+ Alzheimer’s disease is a neuro-degenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration with declining activities of daily living and neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral changes. The most striking early symptom is loss of short-term memory (is like memory full), which usually manifests as minor forgetfulness that becomes steadily more pronounced with illness progression, with relative preservation of older memories. As the disorder progresses, cognitive (intellectual) impairment extends to the domains of language, skilled movements and recognition, and functions such as decision-making and planning become impaired. A dissection of the brain tissue will show brownish patches of protein plaques and a shrinkage of brain size.

+ Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs the sufferer’s motor skills and speech. It belongs to a group of conditions called movement disorders, characterized by muscle rigidity, tremor, a slowing of physical movement and in extreme cases, a loss of physical movement. The primary symptoms are the results of decreased stimulation of the motor cortex by the basal ganglia, normally caused by the insufficient formation and action of dopamine, which is produced in the dopaminergic neurons of the brain. Secondary symptoms may include high level cognitive dysfunction and subtle language problems. It is both chronic and progressive.

Preventive measures

Proper nutrition, exercise, and positive lifestyle choices are important in sustaining mental clarity.

+ As we grow older, it is important to participate in stimulating activities, thus keeping our minds active. In fact, aging process has little, if any, bearing on the ability to recall information.

+ Having a rich accumulation of life experiences – education, marriage, socializing, a stimulating job, language skills, a purpose in life, physical activity and mentally demanding leisure activities, keep the brain going if are able to score on high cognitive reserve, says David Bennett, M.D., of Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center.

+ Alcoholics and drug addicts often suffer a great deal from memory loss.

+ Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) can affect the brain function as it requires the level of glucose in the blood to fall within a very specific narrow range.

+ Medications can be prescribed to slow the progress of senility and other degenerative brain diseases, but success is often coupled with unwanted side effects, particularly in the elderly patient. If medications had to be applied, they should be used in conjunction with psychiatric or behavioral therapies.

VIVA corner

One reason why many people suffer from memory loss is an insufficient supply of necessary nutrients to the brain. Blood is the life giver, feeding and nourishing every cell within our bodies. The brain is surrounded by a protective envelope known as the blood-brain barrier, which allows only certain substances to pass from the bloodstream to the brain. Do not let this area be clogged or nutrient-rich blood cannot reach the brain cells and become malnourished.

+ The precursor of lecithin, choline is a neurotransmitter that sends message to and from the brain and is shown to have a significant effect in delaying the deterioration of memory and deceleration of the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease. The protective sheath surrounding the brain and the interior of nerve cells also contain lecithin for proper central nervous functioning. VIVA Biolecithin is formulated based on scientific grounds and contains much lecithin precursors.

+ Vitamin B complex enhances immunity, involved in dopamine production and aids in the formation of neuron transmitters to keep a healthy nervous system. Expect to see relieve symptoms caused by stress and improve memory, response and thinking process. Viva B-easy offers the easy solution with all the entire range available in one, concentrated from yeast, in meeting our daily requirement.

+ According to scientific studies, DHA is the main component of human cerebral cortex (about 80%)and thus sufficient intake of DHA is important for brain development, especially in protecting brain tissue and reducing brain tissue injury. VIVA Omega 3 offers high EPA and DHA content extracted from high concentrated deep sea fish body oil in a more absorbable triglyceride form.

+ The major function of the gingko biloba leaf is to increase blood circulation to the brain, enhance nervous transmission, delay the aging process of the temporal and limbic lobe in the brain that responsible for memory management. Senile dementia patients suffer from poor blood circulation to the brain causing those cells to shrink in size due to the lack of oxygen. It works for people suffering from migraine, memory loss and cold limbs. Basically, gingko works well in penetrating through tiny capillaries and dilate blood vessels to improve peripheral circulation. VIVA Liquick Gingko is a highly concentrated extract from the gingko leaves in the ratio of 50:1.

+ Our brain cells are made up of protein building blocks known as amino acids. With passing time the master (pituitary) glands secretes lesser and lesser hormones, leading to degeneration of brain cells and neurotransmitters. Coupled with insufficient intake of nutrients, premature aging sets in readily. VIVA Ageguard is a proprietary formulation of free form amino acids that act as natural HGH releaser to defy aging process.