Health and well-being for

mind and brain Professor Billy O’Connor

Honorary Visiting Scholar

Flinders University School of Medicine

Adelaide, South Australia.

April 7th 2014

http://Inside-the-brain.com/

Number of synapses About 100 trillion

THE BRAIN’S VITAL STATISTICS

Adult weight

Adult size

Number of neurons About 100 billion neurons

Dentrite

Soma

Axon

Terminal

NEURON STRUCTURE & IMPULSE FLOW

Enriched enviornment Deprived environment

= Challenge = Monotony, isolation, low expectations.

Credit: NYU Langone Medical Center

OUR BRAINS CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO EXPERIENCE

= Challenge, autonomy, complexity, a connection

between reward and effort.

= Avoidance, dependence, monotony, isolation,

low expectations.

• Intensive care of others to the expense of self care

• Pushing yourself too hard

• Heavy workload

• Limited resources

• Organisational pressure

• Long hours on the job

• Inability to set appropriate boundaries

SOURCES OF STRESS AT A PERSONAL LEVEL

THE DYNAMICS OF WORRY & STRESS B

loo

d f

low

Over time - hyperventilation reduces the oxygen supply to the brain……

…….which can lead to panic.

INSIDE-THE-BRAIN WEBSITE

http://inside-the-brain.com/2011/07/05/your-brain-and-the-art-of-confusion/

SINGING IS A GOOD STRESS-BUSTER

Singing regulates breathing and improves the immune system.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2081394/Want-children-perform-better-school-happier-Then-playing-field.html

https://www.mentimeter.com/p/2c0de88df9bb

Exercise increases ‘neurogenesis’ (growth of neurons) in the

hippocampus - a region important for memory and implicated in cognitive

aging.

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A 104(13):5638-43 (2007). http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=publications_rd_alzheimers

Warmer colours indicate higher levels of nerve growth factor in the

hippocampus of [A] exercising animals compared to [B] sedentary

animals - blue indicates the lowest level.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ENHANCES MOOD AND COGNITION

MENTAL STIMULATION IS ALSO IMPORTANT

People who read more challenging books develop more neural connections.

When it come to knowledge, you either use it or loose it.