• Question: @ciaran,@lydia,@victoria and @aine what powers the brain to be smart and powewerful?

    Asked by to Áine, Ciarán, Eoin, Lydia, Victoria on 19 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Lydia Bach

      Lydia Bach answered on 19 Nov 2014:

      Heya,

      the brain is fuelled by sugar called glucose. Brain cells cant’ store their own glucose, so need to get it from the blood stream which transports it to the brain.
      The brain cells are unlike many other cells in our body, because they are constantly switched on, communicate with one another and use energy. That’s why they need more than twice the energy of a normal cell! Especially transmitting signals via nerves costs over half of the brains energy demand.

      Thinking hard and mental activity can burn sugars in the brain even faster! – That’s why its important to make sure to take a break and increase glucose in the bloodstream by eating fruit for example!

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