Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 3 to 5 percent of children in the United States. Of these children, 50 percent will continue having symptoms of the condition even as adults. ADHD...
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that leads to progressive nerve damage and brain cell death that affects more than 5.3 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer's Association. Alzheimer's is characterized by aggregates of toxic...
Enhancing mental function is possible at any age due to the malleable capabilities of the human brain. Mental and physical exercise can stimulate the growth of new branches between brain cells, a process called neuroplasticity. According to...
The word "exercise" comes from a Latin word that means to maintain, keep and or ward off. This root definition, says the Franklin Institute, applies to your body and mind no matter what your age. Improving your level of physical fitness not only...
Traditional healers used leaves from the ginkgo biloba plant to improve circulation and enhance memory. Modern scientific research supports these applications and has discovered many others. The mechanisms behind such effects remain unknown, but...
The senses of smell, taste, vision, hearing and touch enable perception and interaction with the external environment. Dedicated areas of the brain receive and interpret input from the sense organs of the body. Disruption of any of the senses can...
Two or more areas of the brain often work together, so it is sometimes difficult for scientists to isolate specific areas that relate to behaviors such as hostility. However, it is apparent that the right side of the brain is often involved with...
The brain is composed of millions of nerve cells that relay messages to and from the body. Every sensation the body feels is sent to the brain for interpretation, and every muscle that moves is commanded to do so by the brain. When the glands...
When you hear the term "high blood sugar," your next thought may naturally center on diabetes, but high levels of glucose circulating through your bloodstream also increase your risk of Alzheimer's disease. At a foundational level, the two...
The human brain is an extremely complex organ that functions as the control center of the entire body. According to National Geographic, the human brain weighs approximately three pounds. The brain is one of the body's largest organs and...
Alzheimer's disease is a devastating disorder that affects millions, and is characterized by progressive neurodegeneration and dementia. The exact cause is not known, but the industrial chemical sodium aluminosilicate has been implicated as a...
Moving your limbs allows you to fully interact with your environment. You are able to pick up objects, wave to a friend and kick a ball if you want. But how does the brain communicate with the muscles? Movement is created and controlled by the...
Like any part of your body, your nerves have an ongoing process of maintenance and repair that requires nutrients. Demands are higher when the nervous system is stressed or damaged as a result of disease or trauma. Many foods, herbs and...
In "The Cognitive Neurosciences III", there are over 1000 pages devoted to explaining the relationship between mind and brain. At the most general level, human cognitive processing occurs in the cortex, the outer layer of the brain composed of...
The cerebrum houses the four major brain regions responsible for higher functioning. According to the Center for Neuro Skills, these four regions include the frontal lobes, parietal lobe, occipital lobe and the temporal lobe. The cerebrum is also...
The human body is amazingly complicated, and much of the way it works is a mystery. At the core of all the complex bodily systems is the brain, which controls all the actions and processes of the body. The brain contains several specific...
Nicotine is an addictive substance that causes changes in the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, nicotine produces mood-altering effects in the brain in addition to potential health problems. The brain is comprised of nerve cells that...
Stroke affects approximately 700,000 Americans annually, according to the University Hospital website. A stroke is an abrupt deprivation of the blood flow to the brain due to a blockage or the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain. This causes a...
The cerebrum is the large upper area of the brain, which is physically divided at the midline into the right and left hemispheres. Within each hemisphere are five distinct regions, the insula, and the frontal, temporal, occipital and parietal...
