Brain Facts: A Primer On The Brain And Nervous System
preface
tsets humans apart from all other species by allowing us
to achieve the wonders of walking on the moon and composing masterpieces of literature, art and music
. Throughout recorded time, the human brain—a spongy, threepound mass of fatty tissue—has been compared to a
telephone switchboard and a supercomputer
.
But the brain is much more complicated than any of these
devices, a fact scientists confirm almost daily with each new
discovery
. The extent of the brain’s capabilities is unknown, but
it is the most complex living structure known in the universe
.
This single organ controls all body activities, ranging from
heart rate and sexual function to emotion, learning and memory
. The brain is even thought to influence the response to disease of the immune system and to determine, in part, how well
people respond to medical treatments
. Ultimately, it shapes our
thoughts, hopes, dreams and imagination
. In short, the brain is
what makes us human
.
Neuroscientists have the daunting task of deciphering the
mystery of this most complex of all machines: how as many as
a trillion nerve cells are produced, grow and organize themselves into e∑ective, functionally active systems that ordinarily
remain in working order throughout a person’s lifetime
.
The motivation of researchers is twofold: to understand
human behavior better—from how we learn to why people
have trouble getting along together—and to discover ways to
prevent or cure many devastating brain disorders
.
The more than 1,000 disorders of the brain and nervous
system result in more hospitalizations than any other disease
group, including heart disease and cancer
. Neurological illnesses
a∑ect more than 50 million Americans annually at costs exceeding $400 billion. In addition, mental disorders, excluding drug
and alcohol problems, strike 44 million adults a year at a cost
of some $148 billion.
However, during the congressionally designated Decade of
the Brain, which ended in 2000, neuroscience made significant
discoveries in these areas:
∫ Genetics. Key disease genes were identified that underlie several neurodegenerative disorders—including Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis. This has provided new insights into underlying
disease mechanisms and is beginning to suggest new treatments
.
With the mapping of the human genome, neuroscientists
will be able to make more rapid progress in identifying genes that
either contribute to human neurological disease or that directly
cause disease
. Mapping animal genomes will aid the search for
genes that regulate and control many complex behaviors
.
∫ Brain Plasticity. Scientists began to uncover the molecular
bases of neural plasticity, revealing how learning and memory
occur and how declines might be reversed
. It also is leading to
new approaches to the treatment of chronic pain.
∫ New Drugs. Researchers gained new insights into the mechanisms of molecular neuropharmacology, which provides a new
understanding of the mechanisms of addiction
. These advances
also have led to new treatments for depression and obsessivecompulsive disorder
.
∫ Imaging. Revolutionary imaging techniques, including magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography,
now reveal brain systems underlying attention, memory and
emotions and indicate dynamic changes that occur in schizophrenia
.
∫ Cell Death. The discovery of how and why neurons die, as
well as the discovery of stem cells, which divide and form new
neurons, has many clinical applications
. This has dramatically
improved the outlook for reversing the e∑ects of injury both in
the brain and spinal cord
. The first e∑ective treatments for
stroke and spinal cord injury based on these advances have been
brought to clinical practice.
∫ Brain Development
. New principles and molecules responsible for guiding nervous system development now give scientists a better understanding of certain disorders of childhood
.
Together with the discovery of stem cells, these advances are
pointing to novel strategies for helping the brain or spinal cord
regain functions lost to diseases.
Federal neuroscience research funding of more than $4 billion annually and private support should vastly expand our
knowledge of the brain in the years ahead.
This book only provides a glimpse of what is known about
the nervous system, the disorders of the brain and some of the
exciting avenues of research that promise new therapies for
many neurological diseases.
perfect
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