Wiring The Brain
The brain is an organ that acts as the primary recipient, organiser and distributor of information for the body. The brain is mainly made up of two types of cells. Neurons are cells that can receive information from many different inputs, appropriately modify and pass on the information to a receiving cell rapidly over long distances. Glia are the major support cells of the brain. They are involved in the nutrition and maintenance of the neurons and may serve information-processing roles as well. The human brain is so incredibly complex that many people have argued that we cannot possibly understand it.
We have 100,000,000,000 (1011) neurons.
If the neurons were stretched end to end they would reach the moon.
There are 1,000,000,000,000,000 (1015) connections between the nerves, or synapses in the brain of a child, adults have 1014.
There are 6 layers of cells in the thinking part (or cortex) of our brains.
While our overall brain structure is set at birth (there is a strong genetic component), the wiring pathways change during life. Environmental stimuli alter brain wiring. For instance, if someone has been blind from birth because of a problem with their eyes and that problem is fixed later in life, they will still be blind because their brains were never stimulated to wire for visual processing.
Some pathways take almost the whole of our childhood to become established. Some pathways communicate from one side of the brain to the other, while some communicate within the same half.
Some wiring differences can be learned, for instance relative pitch. Some cannot be, for instance absolute pitch.
In this art/science project it is possible to explore how our brains are wired and what consequences that has for behaviour. It is also possible to explore how our brains compute and how this can be optimised. Use your imagination and you amazing 'brain power' to depict your chosen aspect in any art form you choose.
If a class visit from a scientist would be helpful or if you need further information please contact ITB@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
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