NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER - Volume 3, Issue 7 (July, 1999)
Jacki Willard
Thought some of y'all might be interested in this newsletter.
subbing info http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/newslet.html
Web site http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
-----
NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER - Volume 3, Issue 7 (July, 1999)
____________________________________________________________
Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.
Here is what you will find in this issue:
1. What's New on the Neuroscience for Kids Web Pages
2. The Neuroscience for Kids Page of the Month
3. The Ups and Downs of Trampolines
4. Einstein's Brain...Back in the News
5. Book Review
6. Media Alert
7. Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
8. How to Stop Your Subscription
____________________________________________________________
1. WHAT'S NEW ON THE NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS PAGES
IMPORTANT NOTICE: As of July 1, 1999, the "Neuroscience for Kids" web
site has a new address:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
This new address will make the web site faster and more reliable...at
least that is what the University of Washington Computer Center told me.
If you try to access the Neuroscience for Kids pages with an old address,
you will be guided to a new address. The web site will look the same, but
if you find something that doesn't work properly, I would appreciate it if
you would let me know.
Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in June. Here are some of
them:
A. June Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news36.html
B. Archives of the Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/tt.html
C. July NeuroCalendar
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/july.pdf
D. Trampolines and Injuries
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/trampo.html
E. More "Brain Cards" (Father's Day; Thinking of You; Get Well Soon)
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/bcard17.pdf
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/bcard20.pdf
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/bcard18.pdf
F. Interactive Word Search Puzzles - More than 10 new puzzles you can
play on-line! See all of them at:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chgames.html#ws
G. Larry Dierker, From Dugout to the Operating Room
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/ld.html
In June, 31 new figures were added and 67 pages were modified.
__________________________________________________________
2. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS "PAGE OF THE MONTH"
The Neuroscience for Kids "Page of the Month" for July is
"SandlotScience.com" at:
http://www.sandlotscience.com
"SandlotScience.com" is filled with great visual illusions, many of which
are hands-on and interactive. This site contains the best collection of
illusions that I have found on the Internet. Choose from impossible
objects, ambiguous figures and after-effects to explore the world of
vision and the brain. There are also many games and puzzles to try. Make
sure your browser is "java-enabled" for maximum enjoyment of the site.
Then dive right in and don't worry about getting your hands dirty in the
sandlot!
__________________________________________________________
3. THE UPS AND DOWNS OF TRAMPOLINES
In last month's Neuroscience for Kids newsletter you read about the
potential for head injury while playing golf and in a previous newsletter
you may remember an article on soccer-related head injuries. Other sports
and sports equipment also pose risks to our heads and brains. In fact,
trampoline jumping is one of these risky sports. Now, I don't want to
sound like your mother or father ("Put on your seatbelt!" "Don't forget
your bike helmet!"), but protecting your brain is important. Brain damage
can have devastating consequences and recovery from such injuries can be
difficult.
In a policy statement released in May 1999, the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) estimated that in 1996 there were 83,400
trampoline-related injuries. Of these injuries, two-thirds were to
children between the ages of 5 and 15 years old. Although injuries to the
leg, foot, arm and hand were most common, 14% of the injuries were to the
head or face. About 15% of all head injuries involved fractures,
concussions and internal head injuries.
Fatal trampoline injuries are rare. Nevertheless, six trampoline-related
deaths have been reported since 1990. Most of these fatalities occurred
when people fell off of the trampoline and injured the upper part of their
spinal cords.
Because of the high risk of injury associated with trampoline use, the AAP
has recommended:
A. "The trampoline should not be used at home, inside or outside."
B. "The trampoline should not be part of routine physical education
classes in schools."
C. "The trampoline has no place in outdoor playgrounds and should never
be regarded as play equipment."
The full text of the AAP policy statement can be found at:
http://www.aap.org/policy/re9844.html
and a complete story about trampoline-related injuries can be found on the
Neuroscience for Kids pages at:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/trampo.html
Oh...and remember to look both ways before crossing the street!
_________________________________________________________
4. EINSTEIN'S BRAIN...BACK IN THE NEWS
The incredible intelligence of physicist Albert Einstein continues to
capture the interest of the public and scientists alike. On June 19,
1999, the British medical journal "The Lancet" (vol. 353, pages 2149-2153)
published the latest study concerning Einstein's brain and the possible
connection with his genius.
The researchers found that compared to normal brains, the brain of
Einstein was wider and had a shorter groove on the parietal lobe of the
cerebral cortex. This area of the cerebral cortex is thought to play a
role in mathematical abilities and spatial reasoning. The researchers
think that the characteristics found on Einstein's brain permitted better
connections between neurons important for these functions.
Although these results are interesting, it must be remembered that this
study had only ONE subject in the experimental group...Albert Einstein. It
remains to be seen if other mathematical geniuses also show these
distinguishing brain characteristics. Moreover, the study did not
investigate the brain at a microscopic level. In other words, they did
not look to see if there were differences in how neurons were connected
and of course, could not tell if there were differences in the way the
neurons functioned. Further research using modern brain imaging
techniques (MRI/PET) that look at the anatomy and function of the brain in
living geniuses may help solve some of these questions. For more on
Einstein's brain, see:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/ein.html
_________________________________________________________
5. BOOK REVIEW
"Phantoms in the Brain : Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind" by V. S.
Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee, New York, William Morrow & Company,
1998, 320 pages.
[This book review was written by Ira Surolia, second-year medical student,
B.R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore, India]
Ramachandran, a neurologist from the University of California, San Diego,
has written a highly readable book about the human brain. In my opinion,
"Phantoms in the Brain" is most appropriate for high school students and
adults who are not experts in neurology. The book, written in a clear,
story-like style, starts with an introduction to the brain and continues
with stories of people who have unusual neurological conditions. These
conditions include phantom limbs (people feel the presence of a body part
that has been amputated), false pregnancies (women feel sure they are
preganant when they are not), scotomas (people are blind only in parts of
their visual field), neglect (people ignore parts of their bodies), denial
(people refuse to believe something is wrong with them), and epilepsy
(people have seizures).
Ramachandran starts each chapter with the description of a particular
problem, then follows with ideas about the underlying cause of the
disorder. These theories are then supported or thrown out, depending on
the evidence that doctors find when examining the patients or by doing
experiments.
Throughout the book, readers are treated to Ramachandran's clever ways of
thinking about neurology, including:
A. You don't always need expensive or state-of-the-art equipment to make
important discoveries. Rather, keen observation and questioning of
patients often help to solve some neurological puzzles.
B. If you study the normal functioning of the brain and then figure out
what can happen if this is interrupted, you will see how neurological
disorders come about. For example, in a chapter called "Knowing Where To
Scratch," Ramachandran suggests an explanation for pain or sensation in
arms and legs that have been amputated ("phantom limbs"). He describes
how changes in the normal structure and nerve connections in the cerebral
cortex could cause such sensations. In a chapter called "God and The
Limbic System," he discusses how some people with epilepsy become overly
involved in religion. This may be explained by neurological problems in
the temporal lobe, which is involved in emotions and is often damaged or
abnormal in people with epilepsy.
_________________________________________________________
6. MEDIA ALERT
A. "Stress" in Newsweek magazine, June 14, 1999, pages 56-63. The effects
of stress on body systems, including the nervous system.
B. "The Amazing Octopus" in National Geographic World, July 1999, pages
6-9. A short article on the intelligence of the octopus.
C. "Mind Over Time" in Discover Magazine, July 1999. Biological rhythms
and behavior.
D. "Was Einstein's Brain Built for Brilliance" in Time Magazine, June 28,
1999. New findings about Albert Einstein's brain.
_________________________________________________________
7. THE TREASURE TROVE OF BRAIN TRIVIA
A. The eardrum (tympanic membrane) is only 0.1 millimeter thick and
weighs only 14 milligrams. (Statistics from W.R. Zemlin, "Speech and
Hearing Science, Anatomy and Physiology," 1998.)
B. The "four-eyed" fish ("Anableps") has TWO pupils in each of its eyes.
Therefore it can see above and below the water simultaneously. (From E.B.
Goldstein, "Sensation and Perception," 1999.)
C. The human cerebral cortex has an area of about 2.5 square feet, has 25
billion neurons, is interconnected by over 100,000 kilometers of axons and
receives 300 trillion synapses. (Statistics from J. Nolte, "The Human
Brain. An Introduction to Its Functional Anatomy," 1999.)
D. Approximately 50% of the population of the United States is
nearsighted. (Statistic from Purves et al., "Neuroscience," 1997.)
E. The human hypothalamus weighs about 4 grams.
_________________________________________________________
8. HOW TO STOP RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER
To remove yourself from this mailing list and stop your subscription to
the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter, send e-mail to Dr. Eric H. Chudler
at: chudler@...
_________________________________________________________
Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and the "Neuroscience
for Kids" web site are always welcome. If there are any special topics
that you would like to see on the web site, just let me know.
Eric
Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.
(e-mail: chudler@...)
(URL: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)
(Supported by a Science Education Partnership Award, NCRR, NIH)
--
There are no strangers here;
Only friends you haven't yet met. W.B. Yeats
subbing info http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/newslet.html
Web site http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
-----
NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS NEWSLETTER - Volume 3, Issue 7 (July, 1999)
____________________________________________________________
Welcome to the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter.
Here is what you will find in this issue:
1. What's New on the Neuroscience for Kids Web Pages
2. The Neuroscience for Kids Page of the Month
3. The Ups and Downs of Trampolines
4. Einstein's Brain...Back in the News
5. Book Review
6. Media Alert
7. Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
8. How to Stop Your Subscription
____________________________________________________________
1. WHAT'S NEW ON THE NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS PAGES
IMPORTANT NOTICE: As of July 1, 1999, the "Neuroscience for Kids" web
site has a new address:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html
This new address will make the web site faster and more reliable...at
least that is what the University of Washington Computer Center told me.
If you try to access the Neuroscience for Kids pages with an old address,
you will be guided to a new address. The web site will look the same, but
if you find something that doesn't work properly, I would appreciate it if
you would let me know.
Neuroscience for Kids had several new additions in June. Here are some of
them:
A. June Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter was archived
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/news36.html
B. Archives of the Treasure Trove of Brain Trivia
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/tt.html
C. July NeuroCalendar
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/july.pdf
D. Trampolines and Injuries
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/trampo.html
E. More "Brain Cards" (Father's Day; Thinking of You; Get Well Soon)
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/bcard17.pdf
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/bcard20.pdf
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/pdf/bcard18.pdf
F. Interactive Word Search Puzzles - More than 10 new puzzles you can
play on-line! See all of them at:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chgames.html#ws
G. Larry Dierker, From Dugout to the Operating Room
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/ld.html
In June, 31 new figures were added and 67 pages were modified.
__________________________________________________________
2. NEUROSCIENCE FOR KIDS "PAGE OF THE MONTH"
The Neuroscience for Kids "Page of the Month" for July is
"SandlotScience.com" at:
http://www.sandlotscience.com
"SandlotScience.com" is filled with great visual illusions, many of which
are hands-on and interactive. This site contains the best collection of
illusions that I have found on the Internet. Choose from impossible
objects, ambiguous figures and after-effects to explore the world of
vision and the brain. There are also many games and puzzles to try. Make
sure your browser is "java-enabled" for maximum enjoyment of the site.
Then dive right in and don't worry about getting your hands dirty in the
sandlot!
__________________________________________________________
3. THE UPS AND DOWNS OF TRAMPOLINES
In last month's Neuroscience for Kids newsletter you read about the
potential for head injury while playing golf and in a previous newsletter
you may remember an article on soccer-related head injuries. Other sports
and sports equipment also pose risks to our heads and brains. In fact,
trampoline jumping is one of these risky sports. Now, I don't want to
sound like your mother or father ("Put on your seatbelt!" "Don't forget
your bike helmet!"), but protecting your brain is important. Brain damage
can have devastating consequences and recovery from such injuries can be
difficult.
In a policy statement released in May 1999, the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP) estimated that in 1996 there were 83,400
trampoline-related injuries. Of these injuries, two-thirds were to
children between the ages of 5 and 15 years old. Although injuries to the
leg, foot, arm and hand were most common, 14% of the injuries were to the
head or face. About 15% of all head injuries involved fractures,
concussions and internal head injuries.
Fatal trampoline injuries are rare. Nevertheless, six trampoline-related
deaths have been reported since 1990. Most of these fatalities occurred
when people fell off of the trampoline and injured the upper part of their
spinal cords.
Because of the high risk of injury associated with trampoline use, the AAP
has recommended:
A. "The trampoline should not be used at home, inside or outside."
B. "The trampoline should not be part of routine physical education
classes in schools."
C. "The trampoline has no place in outdoor playgrounds and should never
be regarded as play equipment."
The full text of the AAP policy statement can be found at:
http://www.aap.org/policy/re9844.html
and a complete story about trampoline-related injuries can be found on the
Neuroscience for Kids pages at:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/trampo.html
Oh...and remember to look both ways before crossing the street!
_________________________________________________________
4. EINSTEIN'S BRAIN...BACK IN THE NEWS
The incredible intelligence of physicist Albert Einstein continues to
capture the interest of the public and scientists alike. On June 19,
1999, the British medical journal "The Lancet" (vol. 353, pages 2149-2153)
published the latest study concerning Einstein's brain and the possible
connection with his genius.
The researchers found that compared to normal brains, the brain of
Einstein was wider and had a shorter groove on the parietal lobe of the
cerebral cortex. This area of the cerebral cortex is thought to play a
role in mathematical abilities and spatial reasoning. The researchers
think that the characteristics found on Einstein's brain permitted better
connections between neurons important for these functions.
Although these results are interesting, it must be remembered that this
study had only ONE subject in the experimental group...Albert Einstein. It
remains to be seen if other mathematical geniuses also show these
distinguishing brain characteristics. Moreover, the study did not
investigate the brain at a microscopic level. In other words, they did
not look to see if there were differences in how neurons were connected
and of course, could not tell if there were differences in the way the
neurons functioned. Further research using modern brain imaging
techniques (MRI/PET) that look at the anatomy and function of the brain in
living geniuses may help solve some of these questions. For more on
Einstein's brain, see:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/ein.html
_________________________________________________________
5. BOOK REVIEW
"Phantoms in the Brain : Probing the Mysteries of the Human Mind" by V. S.
Ramachandran and Sandra Blakeslee, New York, William Morrow & Company,
1998, 320 pages.
[This book review was written by Ira Surolia, second-year medical student,
B.R. Ambedkar Medical College, Bangalore, India]
Ramachandran, a neurologist from the University of California, San Diego,
has written a highly readable book about the human brain. In my opinion,
"Phantoms in the Brain" is most appropriate for high school students and
adults who are not experts in neurology. The book, written in a clear,
story-like style, starts with an introduction to the brain and continues
with stories of people who have unusual neurological conditions. These
conditions include phantom limbs (people feel the presence of a body part
that has been amputated), false pregnancies (women feel sure they are
preganant when they are not), scotomas (people are blind only in parts of
their visual field), neglect (people ignore parts of their bodies), denial
(people refuse to believe something is wrong with them), and epilepsy
(people have seizures).
Ramachandran starts each chapter with the description of a particular
problem, then follows with ideas about the underlying cause of the
disorder. These theories are then supported or thrown out, depending on
the evidence that doctors find when examining the patients or by doing
experiments.
Throughout the book, readers are treated to Ramachandran's clever ways of
thinking about neurology, including:
A. You don't always need expensive or state-of-the-art equipment to make
important discoveries. Rather, keen observation and questioning of
patients often help to solve some neurological puzzles.
B. If you study the normal functioning of the brain and then figure out
what can happen if this is interrupted, you will see how neurological
disorders come about. For example, in a chapter called "Knowing Where To
Scratch," Ramachandran suggests an explanation for pain or sensation in
arms and legs that have been amputated ("phantom limbs"). He describes
how changes in the normal structure and nerve connections in the cerebral
cortex could cause such sensations. In a chapter called "God and The
Limbic System," he discusses how some people with epilepsy become overly
involved in religion. This may be explained by neurological problems in
the temporal lobe, which is involved in emotions and is often damaged or
abnormal in people with epilepsy.
_________________________________________________________
6. MEDIA ALERT
A. "Stress" in Newsweek magazine, June 14, 1999, pages 56-63. The effects
of stress on body systems, including the nervous system.
B. "The Amazing Octopus" in National Geographic World, July 1999, pages
6-9. A short article on the intelligence of the octopus.
C. "Mind Over Time" in Discover Magazine, July 1999. Biological rhythms
and behavior.
D. "Was Einstein's Brain Built for Brilliance" in Time Magazine, June 28,
1999. New findings about Albert Einstein's brain.
_________________________________________________________
7. THE TREASURE TROVE OF BRAIN TRIVIA
A. The eardrum (tympanic membrane) is only 0.1 millimeter thick and
weighs only 14 milligrams. (Statistics from W.R. Zemlin, "Speech and
Hearing Science, Anatomy and Physiology," 1998.)
B. The "four-eyed" fish ("Anableps") has TWO pupils in each of its eyes.
Therefore it can see above and below the water simultaneously. (From E.B.
Goldstein, "Sensation and Perception," 1999.)
C. The human cerebral cortex has an area of about 2.5 square feet, has 25
billion neurons, is interconnected by over 100,000 kilometers of axons and
receives 300 trillion synapses. (Statistics from J. Nolte, "The Human
Brain. An Introduction to Its Functional Anatomy," 1999.)
D. Approximately 50% of the population of the United States is
nearsighted. (Statistic from Purves et al., "Neuroscience," 1997.)
E. The human hypothalamus weighs about 4 grams.
_________________________________________________________
8. HOW TO STOP RECEIVING THIS NEWSLETTER
To remove yourself from this mailing list and stop your subscription to
the Neuroscience for Kids Newsletter, send e-mail to Dr. Eric H. Chudler
at: chudler@...
_________________________________________________________
Your comments and suggestions about this newsletter and the "Neuroscience
for Kids" web site are always welcome. If there are any special topics
that you would like to see on the web site, just let me know.
Eric
Eric H. Chudler, Ph.D.
(e-mail: chudler@...)
(URL: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html)
(Supported by a Science Education Partnership Award, NCRR, NIH)
--
There are no strangers here;
Only friends you haven't yet met. W.B. Yeats