The Nervous System

The nervous system is made up of many different roles that each and every one has a specific duty in order for the whole system to work appropriately in our bodies.  From our head to our feet our body works to together for all of the actions made for the body to function. 

The nervous system is divided into two parts to complete the whole system.  The Central Nervous System, which is also known as CNS, consists of the brain and the spinal cord.  Then there is the Peripheral Nervous System, the PNS; this system synchronizes the brain and the spinal cord to the body.  These two nervous system work together for the functions to run from the brain go throughout the whole body.  Another nervous system that works together with the CNS but mainly the PNS is the autonomic nervous system.  This consists of the heart, intestines, and other organs from the body.  It is more part of the peripheral nervous system but it works with the central nervous system because some functions require the involvement of the central nervous system.  The Peripheral nervous system also consists of the somatic nervous system which has the axons that help send the messages throughout the body from the CNS and back. 

It is interesting how our whole body works together as a network.  Everything in our body involves the brain and the spinal cord but each function requires the cooperation of other sections in our body to function appropriately.  Every area from our body requires the brain to be involved in every function that is needed.  The nervous system revolves around the brain and neurons to run things smoothly in our internal and external system. 

Synapses, Drugs and Addiction

Nowadays, drugs and alcohol have been in the top sources of causing deaths in the United States.   Addiction has become a problem within our society and it has been taken in very little consideration on the danger the body goes through when inhibiting dangerous substances that affect the brain.  It can be caused genetically or as a long time user, either way, both causes do not change the damage the brain goes through when enough is never enough from the users. 

                Many have tried to beat their addictions by attending groups, rehab clinics, or by the help of family members and friends, but it is a long journey to complete when it can become so easily to fall back to their addiction.  Since the brain has been “rewired” for a new substance to bring pleasure to the body, it could easily rephrase the signals to re-like the substance again, and it causes the downfall for people to fall again.  Addiction changes a person to a whole new being.  It becomes complicated for them to be the person they were before. 

                It is so easy to fall into addictions, when there is depression, stress, or outcomes in life do not go their way, but who doesn’t go through those things.  It is part of life and if people found that as an excuse, I believe everybody in this world would be addicted to such other substances.  To be able to overcome such addictions, it is in the person’s personal will and best choice to avoid such things, since we all know and are fully conscious of the dangers our health and body go through with these substances, we should be able to overcome unnecessary desires. 

Introduction to Physiological Psychology

Technology has improved in many ways these past few decades.  It was a difficult time for doctors to diagnose patients with harsh headaches, and nowadays, it became easier, thanks to the new and improved machines that are used to read brain activity.  The invention of these new techniques to research brain activity helped many in the medical field to diagnose patients with problems. They are less painful than the older versions that were used for diagnosing temporal problems.  This new technology in the medical field has saved many lives, by being able to let the doctors diagnose the problem in time so they could start helping in a timely manner before the sickness increases and gets worst.  To be able to see how the human brain and subject changes how he feels physically and mentally.  The new technology in the medical field is truly something not everyone would imagine it could be possible.  Only imagine the amount of open possibilities that can be achieved in a couple of years as these new brain imaging techniques help doctors in their medical field. The human brain still has its mysteries that we still continue solving one at a time and learning more about ourselves, as humans.  It is amazing how technology has been a great source to achieve brain readings for doctors.  Doctors used EEGs which are used for recording electrical activity going through the brain to read brain activity being caused by other factors.  Another example of brain imaging machines would be such as the PET scans.  This machine reads the activity of the brain by recording radioactivity that was being submitted by chemicals that were put in the body.  One machine that is very common and well known would be the fMRI, this machine is less expensive and less risky for patients.  This machine gives doctors detailed photos of the patient’s brain.  Technology has been changing greatly and who knows later on there will be machines who will understand the complexity of our brain activity to all extent. 

NERVE CELLS AND NERVE IMPULSES

It would be extraordinary if all of our body could fight have barriers that could keep us safe from harmful viruses.  The blood brain barrier is a great defense built for our brain but at the same time it has its flaws.  It protects our brain by avoiding any dangerous viruses to affect our nervous system.  The only problem comes when it avoids medication that can be used for neurological diseases.  The same manner the blood brain barrier protects our nervous system and our brain, it brings its disadvantages.  The blood brain barrier helps in many ways in a person’s health. 

Scientists have been researching for ways for the blood brain barrier to stay open so it could allow medication needed to improve diseases that involve brain activity.  There has been couple of research where they have applied experiments on mice to try to find a way to keep the barrier open for some seconds to allow certain medication to go through to treat certain diseases such as brain cancer. 

About a year ago, there was a break in the finding of this complicated problem allowing for treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other cancers that affect the nervous system.  It has been difficult for a research to have a positive outcome.  With this advance in science, there will be positive outcomes for patients who have gone by many treatments that have not worked due to the medication that was not able to reach the brain for success treatment.