About the episode
In Baan door het Brein, the latest series of BNR In De Diepte, psychiatrist and neuroscientist Iris Sommer takes us on a fascinating journey through the brain. In this first episode she explores the beauty and complexity of our brains. Not only the epicenter of our body, but also determining our personality, emotions and humor.
The brain is responsible for generating electrical activity, measured as brain waves, and communicates through electrical currents between nerve cells and synapses. The brain consists of gray matter, mainly made up of cell bodies and short nerve cell nerve fibers, and white matter, made up of long nerve fibers that connect far away in the brain. In addition, it also contains cerebrospinal fluid, which serves as a shock absorber and garbage collector, and removes waste products from the brain during sleep.
The brain is divided into three parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brainstem. The cerebrum is made up of the left and right hemispheres, while the cerebellum contains an abundance of nerve cells and is primarily responsible for motor functions. Brain research mainly focuses on the cerebrum, which is believed to contain most typical human features, but the functions of the cerebellum are still largely unknown.
The human brain contains about 83 billion nerve cells, and the number of connections between these cells determines our intelligence and skills. Brains are plastic and can form new connections and break down unnecessary connections. This process can be stimulated through challenging activities and learning. Although the brain loses about 1% of its mass each year from about age 25, it can adapt to changes and take over functions from damaged areas.
About BNR In Depth
After the success of Back to the Big Bang with Govert Schilling, BNR In de Diepte is back with a new season and a new scientist. In five episodes, Iris Sommer, psychiatrist, neuroscientist at the UMCG and author, takes you on a journey through the brain. You will learn everything about our senses, the left and the right hemisphere, whether men have a different brain than women, and what influence your gut has on your personality.
Over Iris Sommer
Iris studied medicine at the VU University in Amsterdam and became a psychiatrist at UMC Utrecht in 2004. In 2010 she became professor of psychiatry at the UU. There she founded the voice clinic, where people who suffer from hallucinations can go. Her first popular scientific book was “Hearing voices”. This was followed by “Haperende Brain” in 2016, which became a best-seller, as well as “The Women’s Brain” in 2020.
Since 2017, Iris has been working at the UMC Groningen, where she is director of the Brain and Cognition research institute. There she combines research with patient care and education. In 2021 she was nominated as a Nias-Lorentz Distinguished fellow and worked as a fellow at the Netherlands Institute of Advanced Science (NIAS) in Amsterdam. In 2022 she will receive the Huibregtsen Prize for Science and Society. Together with the Hersenstichting, she wrote the cookbook “Feed your brain”, about the influence of healthy eating on the brain and behaviour. In August she and her team will be at Lowlands Science under the title “Shitty Science”. Her new book “de Bacterie en het Brein” will be published in November this year.
2023-08-24 04:01:34
#Gray #matter
