It has always been suggested that the brain consumes about 20 percent of
the body’s energy. Some sources have determined the brain’s electric output to
be approximately 20 watts. Does this translate to the fact that brains of
so-called “geniuses” use more energy? Following Albert Einstein’s death in
1955, his brain was preserved for research, and studies found that it contained
many more glial cells (the cells that nourish and otherwise assist neurons) than
other brains, which would require more energy.
It is a widely accepted fact that humans use only 10 percent of their
brains. Researchers have used MRI and PET scans of the human brain to show that
far more than 10 percent of the organ is used even at rest. Furthermore,
individuals with even minor brain damage to any area of the brain can show
impaired function, hardly consistent with an organ that according to myth is 90
percent unused.
Another
longstanding brain myth is that a person is born with all the brain cells
they’ll ever have, and when the cells die, that’s it. However, studies in
recent years have shown that our brains add new neurons throughout life, as
many as hundreds of thousands per month. You can aid this process, known as
neurogenesis, by exercising, engaging in mentally stimulating activities and
eating a healthy diet.
LOSS OF MEMORY
Memory loss is a problem that affects
most people, to a degree. Whether it's occasional forgetfulness or loss of
short-term memory that interferes with daily life, there are many causes
of memory loss
Causes of Memory Loss
Medications. A number of prescription and
over-the-counter medications can cause loss of memory. Possible culprits
include: antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-anxiety medications
and sleeping pills.
Sleep deprivation. Both quantity and quality
of sleep are important to memory.
Getting too little sleep or waking frequently in the night can lead to fatigue, which interferes with the
ability to retrieve information.
Stress and anxiety. Anything that makes it harder to concentrate and lock
in new information and skills can lead to memory problems. Both can interfere
with attention and block the formation of new memories or the retrieval of old
ones.
Head injury. Trauma to the head from
a fall or accident, for example can cause injure to the brain and cause both short- and long-term memory loss.
However memory may gradually improve over time.
Stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is stopped
due to the blockage of a blood vessel to the brain or leakage of a blood vessel in the
brain, thereby starving brain cells of blood supply. Strokes often cause
short-term memory loss. A person who has had a stroke may have vivid memories of
childhood events but be unable to recall what he or she had experienced a short
while ago.
Dementia. Dementia refers to
progressive loss of memory that are severe enough to interfere with the ability
to function in daily activities. Although there are many causes of dementia
including blood vessel disease, drug or alcohol abuse,
or other causes of damage to the brain. The most common and familiar is Alzheimer's
disease. Alzheimer's
disease is
characterized by a progressive loss of brain cells and other irregularities of
the brain.
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