The basic nutrient employed by neurons is glucose, a simple sugar.  In order

to metabolize the blucose, neurons need lots of oxygen.  While the brain is

only two percent of the body's weight, it uses twenty percent of its oxygen. 

Because the liver actively makes glucose from carbohydrates, fats and sugars,

there is rarely any shortages of glucose for the brain.  However,  the brain

needs Thiamine or vitamin B1 in order to process glucose.

Neurotransmitters, the chemical messengers of the brain are produced by the

various nutrients in our food.  These neurotransmitters include serotonin,

epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine and acetylcholine.  The brain can continue

processing these even if a person does not eat fo a while, but nutrition

contributes greatly to one's brain functions.

Milk and cauliflower contain choline, which helps produce acetylcholine, which

aids in the transmission of impluses.  Lecithin,the substance that helps to make

choline, can be found in soybeans, peanuts, egg yolks, butter and liver.

Proteins contain amino acids such as phenylaianine and tyrosine, which help

form such neurotransmitters as epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. 

These influence our emotions, and too much epinephrine can cause excitability,

irritability and anxiety.

Tryptophan, the amino acid responsible for the production of serotonin, is

abundant in turkey, as well as in other meats and fish.

 

Serotonin is thought to be the neurotransmitter responsible for perception and

sleep function.  In order to increase the amount of tryptophan received by the

brain, one must combine carbohydrates and proteins.  This is because

carbohydrates increase the body's release of insulin, which transports other

amino acids from the blood into cells, leaving a higher concentration of

tryptophan in the blood for the brain.

 

Voluntary & Involuntary Brain Functions

 

Medulla

In addition to allowing us to make deliberate decisions, the brain controls those

body functions over which we have no control. The lower area of the brain known

as the medulla controls heart rate, breathing, vomiting, sallvation, coughing and

other automatic functions.  These automatic functions are a great advantage. 

Imagine having to tell yoruself to breathe, or tell your heart to beat!  Because of

the importance of these functions, damage to this area of the brain and spinal

chord is very dangerous.

 

Cerebral Cortex
Contains about 85% of the nerve cells in the brain and the human cortex has

become increasingly complex in comparison to other species.  It is dividied into

Temporarl, Frontal, Parietal and Occipital lobes.  The bereb ral cortex contains the

gray matter of the brain and the prefrontal areea of the cerebral cortex comprises

a larger portion of the human brain then the brains of other species.  Yet, the

prefrontal cortex develops more slowly in humans than it does in monkeys.  Large

numbers of neuronal connections develop in the human brain between 7 and

12 months.

 

Frontol Lobe

The frontol lobe controls planning of movements and some aspects of memory.

Parietal Lobe
Controls body sensations like the sense of touch.

Occipital Lobe
Controls visual functions.

Temporal Lobe

Controls hearing and some advanced visual processing.

The human brain controls every action, thought, and process of the body; but

what makes the brain function?  A network of nearly one hundred billion individual

cells called neurons, or nerve cells, allows the brain to think, remember, hear a

symphony, enjoy a sunset, love and imagine.  Neurons tell our bodies to move,

breathe, and create.  The amazing network of neurons that forms the human brain

makes it the most complicated brain on the planet.

The complexity of the brain, not its size, accounts for its capacity.  Given the brain's

complexity, it requires a highly developed system of communication in order to

coordinate all of its nuerons.

This sytem is based on electrochemical impulses.  Like a computer, these impulses

travel along circuits.  Unlike computers, these signals are created chemically.  These

chemical transmissions are called neurotransmitters, and they are responsible for

the incredibly rapid communication between neurons.  The speed and accuracy of

these neurotransmisions are what let us react to the world around us, and ultimately,

to survive.

Faulty functioning of this communication between neurons may be responsible for

all sorts of illnesses, from depression to Parkinson's disease.  An overabundance

of neurotransmitters has been linked to schizophrenia.  Various medications that

increase or decrease neurotransmitters are now available and have been showns