Brain & Nerve Facts

The adult human brain weighs about 3 pounds (1,300-1,400 g).

The adult human brain is about 2% of the total body weight.

The elephant brain weighs about 6,000 g.

The cat brain weighs about 30 g.

The average human brain is 140 mm wide.

The average human brain is 167 mm long.

The average human brain is 93 mm high.

The human brain has about 100,000,000,000 (100 billion) neurons.

The octopus brain has about 300 million neurons.

The total surface area of the cerebral cortex is about 2500 sq. cm (~2.5 ft²)

The world record for time without sleep is 264 hours (11 days) by Randy Gardner in 1965. Note: In Biopsychology (by J.P.J. Pinel, Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 2000, p. 322), the record for time awake is attributed to Mrs. Maureen Weston. She apparently spent 449 hours (18 days, 17 hours) awake in a rocking chair. The Guinness Book of World Records [1990] has the record belonging to Robert McDonald who spent 453 hours, 40 min in a rocking chair.

Unconsciousness will occur after 8-10 seconds after loss of blood supply to the brain.

Neurons multiply at a rate 250,000 neurons/minute during early pregnancy.

The weight of an adult human cerebellum is 150 g.

The total volume of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is 125-150 ml.

A total of 400-500 ml of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced every day.

Cerebrospinal fluid is normally clear and colorless.

There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves.

There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves.

There are about 13,500,00 neurons in the human spinal cord.

The human spinal cord is 45 cm long in men and 43 cm long in women.

Humans can hear in the range of 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

Rats can hear in the range of 1,000 to 50,000 Hz.

The most sensitive range of human hearing is between 1,000-4,000 Hz.

Pain occurs when sounds are above 130 db.

Hearing damage can occur if people are exposed to sounds above 90 db for an extended period of time.

The total number of human taste buds (tongue, palate, cheeks) is about 10,000.

The total number of human olfactory receptor cells is about 40 million.

The human eyeball is about 24.5 mm long.

The octopus does not have a blind spot.

The total weight of skin in an average adult human is 6 lb.(2.7 kg).

There are 1,000 to 10,000 synapses for a "typical" neuron.

The cell bodies of neurons vary in diameter from 4 microns (granule cell) to 100 microns (motor neuron in cord).

The resting potential in a squid giant axon is -70 mV.

Meningioma Surgery in Medan (May 16, 2007)

I had been in Medan since May 15, 2007.
Prof. A had another tumor surgery, so I brought Selector with me.
The flight was alright, I used Sriwijaya Air.
This time I went alone. Boss wouldn’t permit Arie to come along, well…it’s OK, I can manage. I’m always the strong girl

MAY 15, 2007

The work:

Delivered Selector to hospital and explained to O.R. nurses how to assemble and disassemble the handpiece. It’s important because I won’t have a colleague to help me. I needed them to be my help.

MAY 16, 2007

The work:

Arrived in the hospital at 10 am because the nurse informed me surgery will be at 11 am. Then I found out, schedule has changed, it would be at 1 pm. Waited for 3 hours. Surgery started at 2 pm, finished 5.30 pm.

Meningioma was so big, it was 1/4 of the brain. It was very big, Prof. A used his finger to separate it from the brain. No need to use Selector!

The tumor!

Wow, that was my first experience seeing that kind of procedure.

Hmmm, a request from him: I to stay with Selector because he’d have another tumor surgery on Friday. Oh God! How should I tell Ms. S from MK Hospital? Damn!

Asked my boss’ approval for this. I needed his help to contact Dr.J!

This also meant I had to re-schedule my flight.

For the rest of my trip, read here.

Four Health Tips to Enhancing Your Brain

By Leon Edward

Long thought to be the soul of the human psyche, the human brain weighs in at about 3 pounds or 1300-1400g. What we know about the brain expands almost daily as new science finds more and more nuances that control our perception of life around us. We know that it controls what keeps us alive: respiration, digestion, heartbeat and a number of other involuntary or automatic functions of the body. Without our brain constantly working in the background, we would not be able to live.

It also controls what we call -Our Higher Functions- or things we are consciously doing day-to-day - abstract thinking, reasoning, dreaming and thought. Considered superior to any other species, our brain is responsible for our culture, advancements and higher level thinking including reading, speech and extrapolation. Things like creativity and personality are associated with the brain. We make decisions, define colors and smells and that is just the tip of the iceberg. This very special organ perceives the world around us and our activity in it.

The human brain is strong and some may consider it invincible; however, many times as we age, we realize isn not going to stay that way forever. Like any other part of our body, the brain is subject to the ravages of time, and our lifestyles affect it to a greater or lesser degree. As we age, the brain becomes slower in its functioning and its ability to rejuvenate itself. But, through science, we have also discovered that this doesn not have to be the end of things. There are many ways to enhance and improve our brain power and forestall the slowing down that comes with aging. This article gives you four excellent tips to get your started in reversing the damages that time causes.

Tip #1: Healthy lifestyles are the key

Integral to our overall anatomy, the brain is probably the most important organ in our bodies because without it, we could not function. So, we need to treat it like the special organ that it is. For the person who drinks heavily, they are damaging their brain more than the person who is a modest drinker. We have long known that alcohol and other substances like drug use destroy brain cells. Most alcoholics will argue that since we only use 10% of our overall brainpower, we have plenty of spare brain cells to call on. This is more myth than reality. Drinking does nothing to activate the other 90% of our brain's capacity, and this fallacy will cause alcoholism to destroy our organ faster than believed. As a result, if you think of that 10% we're using as a lifetime organ, we should go to great lengths to preserve and protect it.

Tip #2: Eat well and your brain will thank you.

You know the saying: Garbage in; Garbage Out. This applies to healthy eating to keep the brain operating at peak efficiency. Consuming the correct sets of food definitely benefits the brain. Consider this: the brain is the most active part of the body. In order to keep the brain vibrant and alive, we must give it the best fuel available. The brain is always on even when we are sleeping, so having an abundance of good fuel will keep the brain fit and thriving. Good foods will be greatly appreciated by your brain, and in return it will deliver excellent computing and reasoning powers. Never underestimate the power of a balanced diet, exercise and adequate sleep when it comes to staying focused and alert.

Tip #3: Exercise Makes the Brain Grow Stronger

Taking the time to get proper exercise is an excellent way for the body and brain to operate at maximum effectiveness. Leading a well-balanced lifestyle goes a long way towards having a brain that is alive, fit and ready to tackle any problem that the world throws at it.

Tip #4: Relieving Stress is Essential

Exercise also releases stress which can cloud and slow the brains functioning and create a good mood and a sense of well being.

The brain is an organ that should be respected, cared for and cherished. We only have one, and it allows us to make choices, and live our lives to the fullest. A well-cared for brain will deliver healthy perceptions, and result in a more active and fulfilled existence.