Comments on: Brain exercise: more brain connections or leaves in the Amazon? http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/ Brain Fitness and Cognitive Health news Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:59:27 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Alvaro Fernandez http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-225054 Alvaro Fernandez Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:58:04 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-225054 Gil, thank you for the additional context. Indeed, Marian Diamond did a great job when she titled her classic book Magic Trees of the Mind. Gil, thank you for the additional context.

Indeed, Marian Diamond did a great job when she titled her classic book Magic Trees of the Mind.

]]> By: gil http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-224890 gil Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:20:44 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-224890 Hi Predman and Alvaro- Actually you shouldn't be fooled by the simplistic diagrammatic appearance used to portray brain neurons. These images are often created by injecting cells with flourescent markers that allow us to see a single cell. What we don't see are the countless divisions occurring as the dendrites spread out from the cell (like infinitely dividing branches on a tree) and other nerve dendrites attached at various points to that cell, like countless leaves from other trees intertwined with and attached at thousands of points to our 'tree'. I think that wikepedia does a good job of describing neurologic synapses and clearly states the total number of synapses in our brains is between 100 and 500 trillion. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synapse). This would translate to 1 to 5 thousand synapses per neuron and is more in keeping with the number of leaves on an Amazon tree. Hi Predman and Alvaro-
Actually you shouldn’t be fooled by the simplistic diagrammatic appearance used to portray brain neurons. These images are often created by injecting cells with flourescent markers that allow us to see a single cell. What we don’t see are the countless divisions occurring as the dendrites spread out from the cell (like infinitely dividing branches on a tree) and other nerve dendrites attached at various points to that cell, like countless leaves from other trees intertwined with and attached at thousands of points to our ‘tree’. I think that wikepedia does a good job of describing neurologic synapses and clearly states the total number of synapses in our brains is between 100 and 500 trillion. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synapse). This would translate to 1 to 5 thousand synapses per neuron and is more in keeping with the number of leaves on an Amazon tree.

]]> By: 120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-203209 120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:10:04 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-203209 [...] “Guesstimate”. Are there more leaves in the Amazon rainforest or neuron connections in your brain? (answer). [...] [...] “Guesstimate”. Are there more leaves in the Amazon rainforest or neuron connections in your brain? (answer). [...]

]]> By: TIPS » Blog Archive » 120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-182284 TIPS » Blog Archive » 120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power Fri, 29 Aug 2008 15:44:07 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-182284 [...] “Guesstimate”. Are there more leaves in the Amazon rainforest or neuron connections in your brain? (answer). [...] [...] “Guesstimate”. Are there more leaves in the Amazon rainforest or neuron connections in your brain? (answer). [...]

]]> By: Alvaro http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-109296 Alvaro Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:11:44 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-109296 Hello Predman, very good point. Yes, it depends on the definition of "connections" Hello Predman, very good point. Yes, it depends on the definition of “connections”

]]> By: Predman http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-81157 Predman Thu, 18 Oct 2007 03:10:56 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-81157 Each nerve cell is directly connected to 10,000 other nerve cells? Because all the pictures of nerve cells only show 5-10 connections coming in and out... Maybe they mean "connection" like the connection between NY and LA - thru Cleveland, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Denver and other nerve cells along the way. So the answer to the question would then be a question of interpretation. If you go with "direct connections" then there are more leaves in the Amazon... The link is a 404, btw. Each nerve cell is directly connected to 10,000 other nerve cells? Because all the pictures of nerve cells only show 5-10 connections coming in and out… Maybe they mean “connection” like the connection between NY and LA – thru Cleveland, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Denver and other nerve cells along the way.

So the answer to the question would then be a question of interpretation. If you go with “direct connections” then there are more leaves in the Amazon…

The link is a 404, btw.

]]> By: Keetsa Mattress Store - Keetsa! Blog - Eco-Friendly and Green News » Blog Archive » 50 Fun Brain Games http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-81140 Keetsa Mattress Store - Keetsa! Blog - Eco-Friendly and Green News » Blog Archive » 50 Fun Brain Games Thu, 18 Oct 2007 00:50:06 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-81140 [...] 6. Are there more brain connections or leaves in the Amazon? [...] [...] 6. Are there more brain connections or leaves in the Amazon? [...]

]]> By: » Brain Teasers and Games for adults, with a neuroscience angle: our Top 50    « Brain Fitness Revolution at SharpBrains      http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/comment-page-1/#comment-80768 » Brain Teasers and Games for adults, with a neuroscience angle: our Top 50    « Brain Fitness Revolution at SharpBrains      Tue, 16 Oct 2007 17:43:57 +0000 http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog/2006/10/01/brain-exercise-more-brain-connections-or-leaves-in-the-amazon/#comment-80768 [...] 6. Are there more brain connections or leaves in the Amazon?. [...] [...] 6. Are there more brain connections or leaves in the Amazon?. [...]

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