BrainFacts.org

In this blog, I sometimes share websites related to Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology. Recently, I discovered BrainFacts.org.

“The human brain is the most complex biological structure in the known universe. Its roughly 86 billion nerve cells power all of our thoughts, perceptions, memories, emotions, and actions. It’s what inspires us to build cities and compels us to gaze at the stars.

That sense of wonder drives BrainFacts.org. We are a public information initiative of The Kavli Foundation, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, and the Society for Neuroscience – global nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing brain research.

Powered by the global neuroscience community and overseen by an editorial board of leading neuroscientists from around the world, BrainFacts.org shares the stories of scientific discovery and the knowledge they reveal. Unraveling the mysteries of the brain has the potential to impact every aspect of human experience and civilization.

Join us as we explore the universe between our ears. Because when you know your brain, you know yourself.”

To Understand the Brain, You Have to Do the Math.

Browsing BrainFacts.org is an excellent way to learn about neuroscience. The articles are beautifully written, with a professional polish honed by a team of talented science writers (unlike hobbieroth.blogspot.com, written by an aging amateur journalist-wannabe; a one-man-band hawking textbooks). My favorite article—one in the spirit of IPMB—is “To Understand the Brain, You Have to Do the Math” by Alexandre Pouget. He concludes

“The brain is the most complex computational device we know in the universe…and unless we do the math, unless we use mathematical theories, there’s absolutely no way we’re ever going to make sense of it.”

Browsing BrainFacts.org prompted me to examine how useful Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology is for students of neuroscience.

• Chapter 6 is about how nerve axons fire action potentials, which is critical for understanding how neurons in the brain communicate with other neurons and with the rest of the body.
• Chapter 7 discusses functional electrical stimulation of nerves, and mentions deep brain stimulation. It also considers electroencephalography, a tool for monitoring brain function.
• Chapter 8 outlines the physics behind magnetoencephalography as well as transcranial magnetic stimulation.
• Chapter 9 evaluates how weak electric and magnetic fields—say, from power lines or cell phones—affect the brain, and critically assesses if these fields cause brain cancer.
• Chapters 12 and 16 describe tomography, which produces exquisite images of brain anatomy.
• Chapter 17 deals with positron emission tomography, which provides functional information about which regions in the brain are active.
• Chapter 18 analyzes magnetic resonance imaging, including functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging.

IPMB may not reach the cutting edge of brain science as BrainFacts.org does, but it does discuss many of the technological devices and mathematical tools needed to explore the frontier.

Intermediate Physics for Medicine and Biology plus BrainFacts.org is a winning combination.