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Anatomy and Physiology

Anatomy and Physiology

120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power - StumbleUpon Here are 120 things you can do starting today to help you think faster, improve memory, comprehend information better and unleash your brain’s full potential. Solve puzzles and brainteasers.Cultivate ambidexterity. Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, comb your hair or use the mouse. Write with both hands simultaneously. Readers’ Contributions Dance! Contribute your own tip! There are many, many ways to keep our brains sharp. Digital Anatomist Interactive Atlases Structural Informatics GroupDepartment of Biological StructureUniversity of Washington Seattle, Washington, USA Atlases Content: 2-D and 3-D views of the brain from cadaver sections, MRI scans, and computer reconstructions.Author: John W. Content: Neuroanatomy Interactive Syllabus. Atlas was formerly available on CD-ROM (JAVA program running on Mac and PC platform). Content: 3-D views of thoracic organs reconstructed from 1 mm cryosections of a cadaver specimen provided by Wolfgang Rauschning.Authors: David M. Atlas was formerly available on CD-ROM. Content: 2-D and 3-D views of the knee from cadaver sections, MRI scans, and computer recontructions.Author: Peter Ratiu and Cornelius RosseInstitution: Digital Anatomist Project, Dept. FAQHelp on Program UseSoftware Credits and CopyrightPrivacy and advertising policiesAbout the Structural Informatics Group

Liver Function, Location & Anatomy The liver is the largest glandular organ in the body and performs many vital functions to keep the body pure of toxins and harmful substances. It is a vital organ that supports nearly every organ in the body in some facet. Without a healthy liver, a person cannot survive. An average adult liver weighs about three pounds. Located in the upper-right portion of the abdominal cavity under the diaphragm, the liver consists of four lobes. The liver is considered a gland—an organ that secretes chemicals—because it produces bile, a substance needed to digest fats. In addition to producing bile, the liver: Detoxifies the blood to rid it of harmful substances such as alcohol and drugsStores some vitamins and ironStores the simple sugar glucoseConverts stored sugar to usable sugar when the body’s sugar (glucose) levels fall below normal.Breaks down hemoglobin as well as insulin and other hormonesConverts ammonia to urea, which is vital in metabolismDestroys old red blood cells

Ancient origins of the cerebral cortex Just how special is the human brain? Compared to other mammals, the thing that stands out most is the size of the cerebral cortex – the thick sheet of cells on the outside of the brain, which is so expanded in humans that it has to be folded in on itself in order to fit inside the skull. The cortex is the seat of higher brain functions, the bit of the brain we see with, hear with, think with. All mammals have a cortex and it generally increases in size over evolution. Expansion is coupled with an increase in the complexity of the cortex, as defined by the number of distinct cortical areas. But when in evolution did the cortex actually evolve? Whether particular brain structures in different species are related to each other (i.e., whether they diverged from a single structure in a common ancestor) is often a subject of debate and controversy. Tomer R, Denes AS, Tessmar-Raible K, & Arendt D (2010).

6 Virtual Tours Of The Human Body For Free Interactive Anatomy Lessons When it comes to interactive virtual views, we have gone to space and around the globe. So, it’s not surprising that we are also going within ourselves on a virtual journey of the human body. One of the finest tools available online is Visible Body. Unfortunately, it’s not free anymore. If you are disappointed that there aren’t any free interactive anatomy tools, worry not. Google Body You can trust Google to take you everywhere. The Google Body browser is a Google Labs project that renders on Google Chrome and any other browser that supports WebGL (like Firefox 4 Beta). MEDtropolis The interactive website aims to educate entertain both kids and adult on bodily health; understanding the human anatomical structure is just part of the process. For instance, check out the narrated tours on Virtual Body. eSkeletons eSkeletons isn’t only about understanding human anatomy. DirectAnatomy BBC Human Body and Mind Artificial Anatomy Image: Shutterstock

What are stem cells? - Craig A. Kohn Stem cells are a rapidly advancing field of biological research. Since Dr. James Thomson first cultivated human embryonic stem cells at the University of Wisconsin - Madison in the late 1990s, this field of researched has exploded with potential. The links below provide access to a curriculum developed under the supervision of Dr. Thomson as well as the co-directors and staff of the UW Stem Cell & Regenerative Medicine Center. PowerPoint: Notesheet: Quiz: Additional resources about stem cells can be found at: 7 Skills To Become Super Smart People aren’t born smart. They become smart. And to become smart you need a well-defined set of skills. Here are some tips and resources for acquiring those skills. Memory If you can’t remember what you’re trying to learn, you’re not really learning. If you want to amaze your friends with remembering faces, names, and numbers, look to the grand-daddy of memory training, Harry Lorayne. Reading Good scholars need to be good readers. Evelyn Woodski Slow Reading Course Announcer … Dan Aykroyd Man … Garrett Morris Woman … Jane Curtin Surgeon … Bill Murray … Ray Charles Announcer V/O: [The following words rapidly appear on a blue screen as they are read by the fast-talking announcer:] This is the way you were taught to read, averaging hundreds or thousands of words per minute. Psychologists have found that many people who take speed reading courses increase their reading speed for a short time but then fall right back to the plodding pace where they started. Writing Speaking Numeracy Empathy

Brain Atlas - Introduction The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and the spinal cord, immersed in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Weighing about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms), the brain consists of three main structures: the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brainstem. Cerebrum - divided into two hemispheres (left and right), each consists of four lobes (frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal). – closely packed neuron cell bodies form the grey matter of the brain. Cerebellum – responsible for psychomotor function, the cerebellum co-ordinates sensory input from the inner ear and the muscles to provide accurate control of position and movement. Brainstem – found at the base of the brain, it forms the link between the cerebral cortex, white matter and the spinal cord. Other important areas in the brain include the basal ganglia, thalamus, hypothalamus, ventricles, limbic system, and the reticular activating system. Basal Ganglia Thalamus and Hypothalamus Ventricles Limbic System Reticular Activating System Glia

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