New and exciting things are being discovered all the time. Recently, doctors discovered a woman in China who was born without a cerebellum. The cerebellum is a part of your brain that sits just above the top of your brain stem. Cerebellum is Latin for "little brain" and this part of the brain contains nearly half of the brains total neurons. This part of the brain is responsible for controlling fine movements and balance. It helps us do things like writing, riding a bike, and jumping. It also may be involved in some of the mechanics of speaking and communicating to others. The woman in China is a miracle because there are very few cases in history of humans surviving without this part of their brain. The picture below is an image of what her brain looks like without the cerebellum. The black area is filled with cerebral spinal fluid, a liquid that provides cushioning for our brains.
You may be wondering about how she survived without an important part of her brain. Believe it or not, there are people all over the world that survive and live reasonably well without parts of their brain. Some people have an operation at a young age called a hemispherectomy in which half of their brain tissue is removed. This is often done to control seizures. When this operation is done early enough in a person's life the brain can begin to "rewire" itself. The brain, especially when we are younger has plasticity and can change to recover from injury or to learn new things. Scientists are finding out that this plasticity lasts well into adulthood and in some parts of our brain throughout life. The Youtube video below details the journey of a little boy who had a hemispherectomy named Josiah:
In the case of the woman in China and those who have had this operation, other parts of the brain have had to assume some of the roles of the missing areas. The woman in China did have some delays in walking and talking and never has been able to jump, Considering she is missing a crucial part of her brain she functions well and has a child of her own. I have had the opportunity to work with some patients who have had this or a similar procedure and it is amazing to watch them learn and grow. From one month to the next they learn new things and regain functioning.
An important lesson in all this is that we need to take care of our brains and make sure to provide them with stimulation and activity so they continue to grow and get stronger throughout our lives. Some ways you can take of your brain are:
- Get enough exercise; Research has shown that regular exercise can increase our brains ability to process information, problem solve, and maintain attention.
- Meditation- Research in this field is in it's early stages but early findings suggest that meditation and things like mindfulness can improve brain function at any age.
- Manage your stress: Stress and anxiety can increase harmful things in our body and impact our ability to think and remain calm.
- Learn and learn some more: Learning new things stimulates the brain. Become a life long learner; read books, take a dance class, or find a new hobby.
- Eat a healthy diet that includes a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and proteins. All of these things are important for your mind.
- Control your weight- Fat, bad cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels can all have a negative impact on your brain. It is much easier to control these things when you are at a healthy weight.
- Drink alcohol in moderation- Excess alcohol and other drugs can be very harmful to your brain.
- Tease your brain-Brain teasers and brain games can be fun and useful ways to maintain or improve your brains skills in attention, focus, and problem solving.
If you need further information or have concerns about how your brain is working contact a psychologist in your area. They can provide information about ways to help your brain function its best, help you cope with changes, and provide testing to find out if their might be a problem.
