Food & Brain Health
NWI-BM082
3 EC
Year 2
Quarter 2
Medical Biology: Human Biology – Master
,L1 – Brain anatomy
two minute of neuroscience → crash course of neuroscience topics on YouTube
Learning goals:
1) Name 6 cerebral arteries
2) Name 2 cerebral veins
3) Name the structures forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB)
4) ! Explain the transport of glucose over the BBB and into astrocytes and neurons
5) Name 2 processes glucose regulates in the brain
6) Explain the reaction of microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation
7) Name at least two neurotransmitters, their precursors and via which food you can obtain it
8) ! Explain the role or precursors in the synthesis of neurotransmitters
9) Name the function of the hippocampus
10) ! Name the grey matter structures present in the basal ganglia and striatum
The brain has a high energy demand:
- Needs a lot of energy, and has a preference for glucose
- It is 2% of the body weight (small)
- 20%/25% of glucose-derived energy is going to the brain for brain function (~5.6 mg glucose
per 100 g human brain tissue per minute)
- The brain consists for 60% of lipids, commonly lipoproteins, brain is a fatty soft organ
demanding on glucose.
One neuron needs one capillary to survive. Therefore, blood vessels are needed for proper supply.
2 main arteries of the brain:
- Vertebral artery (running from spine up)
- Internal carotid artery (neck artery)
Are all coming together in the circle of Willis
- Three large arteries that offspring from this circle, namely:
o Anterior communicating artery
o Middle cerebral artery (seems like one artery with the vertebral artery, but it is not,
the middle cerebral artery is always on the outside, while the vertebral artery is on
the inside of the circle of Willis)
o Posterior communicating artery
The main aim of the circle is a kind of rescue
mechanism that one of the blood vessels of arteries
is clotted, than the other side will take over so that
the brain can still function. (This happens a lot)
When one artery is clotted,
the other one will take over.
,Many small capillaries are present in the brain.
The arteries are arriving from the inside of the brain and will flow into the small capillaries. Then, on
the outside of the brain there are the veins.
The large veins are always on the outside of the brain.
- Superior sagittal sinus (most common transport route for blood to flow black into the blood
system)
- Inferior cerebral veins
- Transverse sinus
Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) circulates through the ventricles.
1. Choroid plexus (released in superior sagittal sinus, 150 mL (not a lot), refreshed 4 times per
day)
2. Lateral ventricle (will pass a septum, as both ventricles are separated from each other)
a. Large
b. Two-sided
c. Separate from each other, not interacting
3. Third ventricle
4. Cerebral aqueduct
5. Fourth ventricle
a. Nearby the cerebellum
Choroid plexus = place where cerebrospinal fluid is produced.
CSF flows in the opposite direction than the blood.
Inside downwards → outside upwards
, Hippocampus is a structure in the inner side of the brain.
Hippocampus will transform short-term memory into long-term memory.
Hippocampal blood supply:
1. Branches of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA)
2. Anterior choroidal artery (AchA) (branched from the internal carotid artery)
Two groups of blood supply. There is a single blood supply (from two blood vessels, cerebral arteries
PCA), but also mixed blood supply (from three blood vessels, also from the uncal branch, which
branch from the AchA)
- The mixed supply results in higher cognitive levels than single supply (more memory storage)
- Uncal branch could be a benefit for learning
Grey matter accounts for cell bodies of neurons (connections).
NWI-BM082
3 EC
Year 2
Quarter 2
Medical Biology: Human Biology – Master
,L1 – Brain anatomy
two minute of neuroscience → crash course of neuroscience topics on YouTube
Learning goals:
1) Name 6 cerebral arteries
2) Name 2 cerebral veins
3) Name the structures forming the blood-brain barrier (BBB)
4) ! Explain the transport of glucose over the BBB and into astrocytes and neurons
5) Name 2 processes glucose regulates in the brain
6) Explain the reaction of microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation
7) Name at least two neurotransmitters, their precursors and via which food you can obtain it
8) ! Explain the role or precursors in the synthesis of neurotransmitters
9) Name the function of the hippocampus
10) ! Name the grey matter structures present in the basal ganglia and striatum
The brain has a high energy demand:
- Needs a lot of energy, and has a preference for glucose
- It is 2% of the body weight (small)
- 20%/25% of glucose-derived energy is going to the brain for brain function (~5.6 mg glucose
per 100 g human brain tissue per minute)
- The brain consists for 60% of lipids, commonly lipoproteins, brain is a fatty soft organ
demanding on glucose.
One neuron needs one capillary to survive. Therefore, blood vessels are needed for proper supply.
2 main arteries of the brain:
- Vertebral artery (running from spine up)
- Internal carotid artery (neck artery)
Are all coming together in the circle of Willis
- Three large arteries that offspring from this circle, namely:
o Anterior communicating artery
o Middle cerebral artery (seems like one artery with the vertebral artery, but it is not,
the middle cerebral artery is always on the outside, while the vertebral artery is on
the inside of the circle of Willis)
o Posterior communicating artery
The main aim of the circle is a kind of rescue
mechanism that one of the blood vessels of arteries
is clotted, than the other side will take over so that
the brain can still function. (This happens a lot)
When one artery is clotted,
the other one will take over.
,Many small capillaries are present in the brain.
The arteries are arriving from the inside of the brain and will flow into the small capillaries. Then, on
the outside of the brain there are the veins.
The large veins are always on the outside of the brain.
- Superior sagittal sinus (most common transport route for blood to flow black into the blood
system)
- Inferior cerebral veins
- Transverse sinus
Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) circulates through the ventricles.
1. Choroid plexus (released in superior sagittal sinus, 150 mL (not a lot), refreshed 4 times per
day)
2. Lateral ventricle (will pass a septum, as both ventricles are separated from each other)
a. Large
b. Two-sided
c. Separate from each other, not interacting
3. Third ventricle
4. Cerebral aqueduct
5. Fourth ventricle
a. Nearby the cerebellum
Choroid plexus = place where cerebrospinal fluid is produced.
CSF flows in the opposite direction than the blood.
Inside downwards → outside upwards
, Hippocampus is a structure in the inner side of the brain.
Hippocampus will transform short-term memory into long-term memory.
Hippocampal blood supply:
1. Branches of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA)
2. Anterior choroidal artery (AchA) (branched from the internal carotid artery)
Two groups of blood supply. There is a single blood supply (from two blood vessels, cerebral arteries
PCA), but also mixed blood supply (from three blood vessels, also from the uncal branch, which
branch from the AchA)
- The mixed supply results in higher cognitive levels than single supply (more memory storage)
- Uncal branch could be a benefit for learning
Grey matter accounts for cell bodies of neurons (connections).
