Brain/Body Connection - Essay Example

? Brain/Body Connection The brain is known to control every action of an individual’s day-to-day life. It is the brain that interprets different situations and dictates the motion of the body towards a particular activity. The manner in which the body of an individual eats, sleeps, perceives, memorizes, gives reasoning, presents a personality, and every other aspects of the human body are the responsibilities of the brain (MacDonald, 2008, pp.1-3). It is not only the brain that has effects on the activities of the body but the body also has impacts on the brain if not properly maintained. For example, the different food habits and nutrition that the body if an individual follows have severe impacts on the brain. Such impacts might be either positive or negative (The brain-body connection: What you do for one can benefit both, 2010, p.2). Several researches have been conducted earlier and ongoing researches are also available that are based on the relation and connection of the brain and the body of an individual. It can be understood that the mechanism of the brain is essential to be learnt by human beings for the proper maintenance of the body and health. The current study focuses on the connection between the brain and the body and brings out an understanding of how the brain controls the actions of the body as well as what can be the impacts of the activities of the body on the brain. Connection of the Brain and the Body: Brain: A brief description: A human being’s ability to perceive, give reasoning, speak and develop creative things is under the control of the outer layer of the brain that is known as the cerebral cortex. Two-thirds of the weight of the brain is occupied by this portion of the brain. The different parts into which the brain is divided have different functions to perform and different responsibilities to handle. A jelly like mass of substance, the brain, connects with the different body chemicals, passes information from one part of the body to another, controls the emotions and behavior of the body and the entire individual, and thus provides an association with the body of human beings. Electrical signals transmitted and passed through the brains are contained in the neurons that are present in billions as nerve cells in the brain. The dendrites and the axons of the neurons perform their activities by receiving messages (which is performed by dendrites) and transmitting those through the electric signals (performed by the axons). One neuron passes the information to the other and in this manner the message gets passed through the entire body and controls each and every activity of the human lives (MacDonald, 2008, pp.10-17). The part of the brain that connects the other portions of the brain with the spinal cord and the body is the brain stem and has the responsibility of an individual’s breathe, digestive system as well as the circulation of the blood (Dowshen, 2010). Brain and the Body: The Endocrine System: The endocrine system of a body is composed of glands that are represented by groups of small organs. Such organs perform within the body by discharge of significant chemical materials in the body that flow and mix up with the blood of the human body. This process allows the occurrence of several important reactions within the body. The performance of the endocrine system can be understood by the manner in which the swiftness of an individual’s metabolism is controlled by the thyroid gland. On another hand, adrenal gland is responsible to put one into tremendous condition of stress and tension. All these functions are primarily controlled by the brain by the pituitary gland. Hormones are required to be discharged in the blood in order to come into contact with the brain. A barrier between the blood and the brain assists in the prevention of toxic substances from finding passage through the brain. However smaller necessary elements are able to pass through this barrier (MacDonald, 2008, pp.20-21). Like the way the barrier does not allow several harmful substances to enter into the brain, similarly, there are several substances that the brain is also unable to pass out into the body owing to the protective barrier. However, these are important elements for the body. Hence in order to overcome this difficulty the pituitary gland plays a major participation as a dispenser and allows the brain to pass on the hormones required to come in contact with the bloodstream of the body. This phenomenon of the brain has significant impacts on the body and thereby on the lives of human beings since the most important hormones is passed by the brain to the body through this process. The growth, sexual development, contraction of birth as well as production of milk within an individual occurs with the help of these hormones. The part of the brain controlling the pituitary gland is known as the hypothalamus and the brain can be understood to have a great responsibility towards the control of the above mentioned requirements of the body (MacDonald, 2008. p.21). Brain and the Body: Food Habits and Energy: The food habits or rather the tendency of human beings to ask for food is activated by the brain. The brain functions towards understanding the need for food by the food and accordingly instructs the body to feel the desire to have food. The manners in which human beings interpret their needs for food as well as the understanding of good food that they would like to repeat to have are all controlled by the activities of the brain. Thus the brain not only decides when to eat but at the same time provides with what to eat and why to eat a particular food item. The energy of a human body is also under the control of the brain. It provides the body with the necessary energy as well as the availability of the energy to the brain is important without which the brain would get damaged (MacDonald, 2008, pp.27-28). Thus an association of the brain with the body can be understood in this context since the body and the food that the body intakes determine to a large extent the energy availability to the brain without which the brain would not function properly thus damaging the entire body. The brain gets its fuel primarily from glucose. However it does not mean that a sugar based diet would help the brain to function. It is important to understand that the brain is not capable of holding too much of sugar and it is the constant flow of blood that provides the brain with the adequate amounts. Thus in order to keep the brain smoothly functioning, there is a need to realize the adequate amounts of glucose as well as other food substances that might be taken as meals by the human body. For example, iron, dark chocolates have been found to be working well for the functioning for the brain. On the other hand, caffeine, alcohol, or trans fats have been observed to be unsuitable for the brain. Also, the sizes of the meals and the timings at when they are taken are also factors needed to be kept in notice since all these have impacts on the effective functioning of the brain (MacDonald, 2008, pp.28-35). Brain and the Body: The Need for Rest: Resting of the body in the form of sleep is one of the common ways in which the brain provides relaxation to the body. Human body learns to follow and adjust to a biological clock that also creates a particular time for the body to take rest or sleep. This is the time when the body gets completely paralyzed by the brain and only hallucinations are visible that are the results of the functioning of the brain. The brain provides with the trigger to the body to arouse the need for the sleep or the rest. However it has been observed that while the body sleeps, the brain remains in an active state for most of the time. It is possible that the brain performs the tasks of repairing or healing the body of any injuries, or mental stress, or the physical exertion that the body might have gone through in a day (MacDonald, 2008, pp.45-50). In regard to the need for sleep by the body and the brain craving for it, different scientists have different views. While some believe that human beings in the present times have changed a lot and tend to spend more time in sleeping than what their body requires. On the other hand, other scientists have focused on the need for the sleep by the body since the brain desire for it and force the body to take rest accordingly. The association of the brain and the body in this regard can thus be well understood. This association stresses on the fact that a body needs adequate sleep to keep well. It has been observed that an individual not having proper sleep for many days start suffering from micro sleep where the brain tends to get blocked for few moments of time. During such periods of time, a human body becomes unable to take part in the day-to-day activities or fails to become an active part of any conversation, and similar such impacts might be observed with the blockage of the brain. The only solution to this is to provide the body with adequate sleep as soon as possible (MacDonald, 2008, pp.51-52). Brain and the Body: Emotion and Behavior: The brain having a control over the different activities and organs of a body also controls and dictates the emotions reflected by the body and the behavior that the body presents to the world. The sensory receptors for different hormones can be found located in the brain which is then passed through the blood in to the body for their appropriate functioning and performing their required activities in order to let the body develop and present them. The modern scientists are getting more involved with the studies relating to the connection between the brain and the body, and such studies are enhanced with the availability of the advanced biochemical tools in the present times. Nuclei have been found to be the major factors associating the brain with the body. The emotions of a human body are represented by peptides or other chemicals that get circulated in the body by the operations of the brain (Pert, 1997). Studies have reflected that brains can let the body present intelligent behavior. The brain is highly complex in its functions and responsibilities, and it has been realized by different scientists that it is this complex structure of the brain involving the structures of the neurons and other necessary mediators, that makes the intelligent behavior of the human body possible. Since the brain impacts the human body with such positive and intelligent behavior scientists are of the view that intelligent systems like the brain should be built for the betterment of the humankind. The biological systems of the body need to be able to cope up with the complexity and intelligence of the brain (Sendhoff, Korner & Sporns, 2009, p.27). According to Dowshen, it is the bunch of cells called amygdale that is present on the sides of the brain and are responsible for arousing the emotional feelings in the body. It looks like almond and it is the belief of the scientists that amygdale reflects emotions in human body (Dowshen, 2010). Discussion: The study relating to the connection of the brain and the body clearly reflects that it is the brain that has controls over each and every function of the body. On another hand the food intakes and proper care of the body also has implications on the performances of the brain. As the above studies reflect, it can be understood that the different parts of the brain have different responsibilities and these responsibilities are spread across the different parts of the body. Thus different organs of the body are separately taken care of by the functions of the brain. From the studies on the endocrine system, it can be discussed that the secretion of the essential hormones into the blood of the body for proper circulation is important for the overall growth and development of the body. If the secretion and circulation of the hormones do not take place adequately and according to the needs of the body, then it can be realized that the proper growth and development of the body would be hampered. This clearly brings out the connection between the brain and the body. Considering the food requirements and the food habits of the body and the brain, from the studied it can be understood that it is the brain that allows the body to realize the hunger and decide on what the individual would like to intake as a meal. However like the way the brain dictates the time and the preference of the food that the body needs to feed itself, similarly, the food habits of the body also have impacts on the brain. As the studies have found that the brain requires adequate measures of the glucose, thus in this context it can be realized that in order to keep the brain working effectively, the body would have to keep focus on the food habits such that the blood stream can continuously provide the brain with the level of glucose that it requires at a particular point of time. This significantly emphasizes on the association between the brain and the body where both has to take into consideration the needs and requirements of the other side and perform their responsibilities accordingly in order to let the body and the brain work together effectively creating a smooth functioning of the human life. Regarding the other aspects of the association of the brain and the body, the study has clearly presented the understanding that the brain controls all the activities of the body and at the same time it demands for rest for the body. A human being thus feels the need for rest and sleep because the brain asks for it. This also implies how the brain controls the body. Also, if the body does not reflect proper care for itself, and ignores the adequate level of sleep, it would severely impact the brain and damage which again presents the effects of the actions of a body on the brain. A connection between the body and the brain is thus reflected through this aspect of the human lives as well. The most significant impact of the connection between the body and the brain can be realized through the emotional feelings and the different behaviors as expressed by the human body. All the emotions of human body are found to be under the control of the brain and hence the body performs according to the instructions of the brain. This is significant since an individual is first and foremost presented to the world through his behavior and his expressions and words. Thus the control of the brain and how it allows the individual to express feelings to the world seems to be an essential factor that stresses on the connection between the body and the brain. Thus the overall understanding from the study presents the fact that the brain and the body of an individual have a remarkable association between each other. The activities of the body are controlled and dictated by the terms of the brain and the smooth functioning of the brain depends on the proper maintenance of the food habits and other necessary requirements of the body that might have direct impacts on the brain. The connection between the body and the brain can thus be said to be creating such a relation without the combined functioning of which the human lives would become incapable of surviving since brain constitutes the central nervous system of the entire body. Conclusion: The present study focused on the connection between the body and the brain. To this the different studies reflect that the body and the brain are connected with each other for every aspect of the human lives. In every step that a human being takes for any task, it is the brain that constitutes the ultimate understanding of the performance and dictates the human body to act accordingly. Be it the emotions of an individual, or the different parts and organs, the brain plays the most important role in determining how the body would react to each and every situation. In turn the body also needs to take into consideration the needs of the brain and take food intakes accordingly to allow the smooth functioning of the brain. The brain has been found to be controlling the different body organs that include the endocrine system allowing the proper growth and development of the individual, as well as the need for a body’s rest, the feelings of emotions and every other aspect of the humans related to the activities of the body. Thus to conclude the study, it can be said that the body and the brain are significantly connected to each to each other since the brain is the main organ of the body controlling every other part. However at the same time, the body also needs to take care of the needs of the brain, without which the brain would become damaged. Thus adequate measures are required to be taken on both sides for smooth functioning and a successful life. References 1) MacDonald, M. (2008), Your Brain: The Missing Manual, California: O’Reilly Media Inc. 2) Pert, C.B. (1997), Molecules of emotion: why do you feel the way you feel, New York: Simon & Schuster 3) Sendhoff, B., Korner, E. & P. Sporns (2009), Creating Brain-Like Intelligence: From Basic Principles to Complex Intelligent Systems, Berlin: Springer 4) The brain-body connection: What you do for one can benefit both (2010), The main meal, available at: http://www.themainmeal.com.au/NR/rdonlyres/3A477AEE-1B1A-47C1-820D-7EF3A3A4D0DD/0/MLA_Vital_45_FINAL.pdf (accessed on November 13, 2011) 5) Dowshen, S. (2010), Your Brain & Nervous System, Kidshealth, available at: http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/brain.html# (accessed on November 13, 2011) Read More