Brain

Brain. General information

The brain belongs to front department of the central nervous system, being located in a cranium.

At the heart of a brain structure – neural network which contact between elements is kept by means of synapses. Interaction of neurons among themselves by means of synoptic communication leads to formation of the electric impulses controlling activity of an organism.

The neuron represents the body of a nervous cell having long and short shoots: axon and dendrite respectively. The axon plays an important role in momentum transfer since it, contacting to axons of other nervous cells, forms the synapse described above.

Signal transmission between cells of a brain is carried out by means of neurotransmitters.

Except neurons, glial cells which there are 7 types belong to cells of a brain. Each type has the functions.

The largest vessels of a brain which are carrying out its food are three arteries – one main and two internal sleepy. However blood comes to brain tissues not directly. The blood-brain barrier helps to minimize penetration of an infection into a brain. It has selective permeability, protecting a brain from infection and penetration of some medicines. At the same time the blood-brain barrier surrounds not all surface of a brain. There are areas, free from its protection. To it the hypothalamic area of a brain belongs, for example.

Brain tissues

The brain of the highest vertebrata is put into the cranium which is reliably protecting a brain from damages and concussions. The body is covered with covers: firm, at the heart of which connecting fabric, soft and vascular (web), located between them. The space between covers is filled with cerebrospinal fluid – liquor.

Departments of a brain

Departments of a brain correspond to quantity of the brain bubbles preceding an organogeny in an embryogenesis:

• myelencephalon;
• the metencephal including a cerebellum and the bridge;
• mesencephalon which enter a mesencephalon roof with two pair hillocks and two legs of a brain;
• diencephalon which structure included a hypothalamus and thalamuses in number of two pieces, and also two pairs of cranked bodies;
• end brain, actually two cerebral hemispheres.

Communication between departments of a brain exists not only anatomic, but also functional.

Functions of a brain

In spite of the fact that each of departments of a brain specializes in performance of various functions, their general characteristic can be presented in the following form:

• thinking – the highest function of the person;
• processing of touch information which arrives from sense bodys;
• decision-making;
• planning;
• coordination of movements, management of them;
• formation of emotions;
• attention;
• memory;
• generation and perception of the speech.

Concussion of the brain

Despite solid protection which surrounded a brain this brittle body is subject to various tests, one of which is the concussion of the brain. At concussion (which carry to an easy form of a craniocereberal injury) the short-term loss of consciousness is possible. The main complaints of the patient are complaints to developing of a headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and also to emergence of a sonitus and the increased perspiration. Deviations in the vital functions are not noted. Skull bones without damages. As a rule, the general condition of the patient improves during the first or second day after damage.

Treatment of a brain at concussions includes medical examination where the diagnosis by means of radiological inspection is specified. Further observance of a bed rest not less than 5 days in a hospital can be offered. Its duration if necessary is adjusted towards increase.

Drug treatment of a brain at concussions is directed to recovery of its normality, and also stopping of pains, elimination of sleeplessness, dizziness and concern. As a rule, the doctor appoints drugs from the list of analgetics, hypnotic drugs and sedatives. Besides, in some cases therapy at concussions of the brain includes the course metabolic and vascular procedures directed to acceleration of recovery of the broken brain functions.

It must be kept in mind that at a concussion of the brain organic lesions of body never arise. If at inspection on KT or MPT posttraumatic changes are found, the speech, most likely, goes about a brain bruise – more serious injury.

Vascular diseases of a brain

Brain food, supply with its oxygen and energy carry out brain vessels – three main arteries about which it is told above. The frustration of cerebral circulation caused by pathology of vessels are often met diseases and take the second place on mortality (after coronary heart disease). Carry to them, first of all, cerebral atherosclerosis, strokes, an aneurysm of vessels of a brain and some other.

1. Cerebral atherosclerosis arises against the background of disturbances of endocrine and biochemical processes and neuroregulatory mechanisms after which cerebral circulation worsens. Disturbance of mental functions is noted. Patients also often complain of memory disturbances (storing especially suffers), associative memory. Inertness of mental processes is observed, there is weak-mindedness of special type. Treatment of a brain at cerebral atherosclerosis includes rationalization of the modes of work and food, use of medicines among which there are drugs of lipotropic and gipokholesterinemichesky actions, the means reducing inflammatory processes in vessels and also fortifying drugs;

2. Strokes represent acute disorders of cerebral circulation. The symptomatology at the same time has character sudden and focal. The following persons get into risk group: old age, the smokers having an arterial hypertension, a diabetes mellitus and heart diseases. Symptoms of a stroke are various. As a rule, consciousness disturbances, an oglushennost, a drowsiness/condition of excitement, dizziness are noted, the loss of consciousness is possible. Among vegetative symptoms: feeling of heat, perspiration, dryness in an oral cavity. The symptomatology, by and large, is caused by in what area the defeat center is located. Treatment of strokes assumes carrying out courses of vascular therapy, an oxygen therapy, the procedure of recovery treatment (massage, LFK, physiotreatment);

3. aneurism of vessels of a brain affects one of the arteries feeding body. Hemorrhage (subarachnoidal or intracerebral) is capable to lead to death or neurologic frustration. Early diagnosis and elimination of an aneurysm from a blood-groove is considered the best treatment today.