Investigate the causes of brain damage and find out how neurologists can learn from it
Much of the impact of brain damage is manifested through the impairment of muscle use and control.
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Transcript
NARRATOR: It is difficult to study a living human brain directly. Much of our knowledge has come through the study of the effects of brain damage on our fellow humans.
[Music in]
Neurons are among the most delicate of the body's cells. In infancy, we have more of them than we will ever have for the rest of our lives. Throughout life they die and are never replaced. We have so many that we are little affected by the gradual loss. But when a large area is damaged suddenly, the effect can be catastrophic. Ironically, science can benefit from the tragedy.
One year ago, at the age of 32, this woman suffered a stroke. The blood supply to part of her brain was blocked by a blood clot. Today she is partially paralyzed on the right side of her body [music out]. The damage occurred in this area where certain muscles are consciously controlled on the left side of the cortex. It turns out that muscles and the sense of touch of the right side of the body are controlled by the left hemisphere of the cerebrum, and those on the left side of the body are controlled by the right hemisphere.
[Music in]
Neurons are among the most delicate of the body's cells. In infancy, we have more of them than we will ever have for the rest of our lives. Throughout life they die and are never replaced. We have so many that we are little affected by the gradual loss. But when a large area is damaged suddenly, the effect can be catastrophic. Ironically, science can benefit from the tragedy.
One year ago, at the age of 32, this woman suffered a stroke. The blood supply to part of her brain was blocked by a blood clot. Today she is partially paralyzed on the right side of her body [music out]. The damage occurred in this area where certain muscles are consciously controlled on the left side of the cortex. It turns out that muscles and the sense of touch of the right side of the body are controlled by the left hemisphere of the cerebrum, and those on the left side of the body are controlled by the right hemisphere.