Pandemic Problems - Brain Stimulation

 

Pandemic Problems – Brain Stimulation

 You can think because of neurons in your brain: cells that have a propensity to exchange information with each other. They talk to each other almost constantly using electrical-chemical transmission. Sometimes their chatter occurs at a conscious level but much more often at an unconscious or subconscious level. The brain contains an estimated 86 billion neurons give or take a few billion. About 16.3 billion are in the cerebral cortex, and 69 billion in the cerebellum. Neurons have a cell body or soma and an axon that allows information to leave the neuron. Depending on your height some of these axons, going down to your big toe, for example, can be a meter length. Each neuron also has many tiny filaments that project from it called dendrites. These little finger-like projections absorb information and pull it into the brain. In some forms of mental retardation, researchers have found that the neurons have insufficient numbers of dendrites so information isn’t absorbed and pulled into the neuron. The dendrites can shrink from lack of mental stimulation. Not a good thing!