effect of chocolate on brain

8/8/2019 effect of chocolate on brain..

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- ByEva Das

Psychology(H),1styear.


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NERVOUS SYSTEM

C.N.S

BRAIN

SPINAL CHORD

P.N.S

SOMATIC NERVOUSSYSTEM

SPINAL NERVES

CRANIAL NERVES

AUTONOMICNERVOUS SYSTEM

SYMPATHETICBRANCH

PARASYMPATHETICBRANCH


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CEREBRAL CORTEX

CORPUS STRIATUM

THALMUS

HYPOYTHALMUS

MIDBRAIN

PONS

MEDULLA


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In this diagram of the brain the different sections are shown. The Cerebrum are

the two large hemispheres of the brain. Each hemisphere is further divided into

lobes. Above is the break up of where each lobe is located and the structures

under the cerebrum that make up the rest of the brain.


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Diagramed above are some of the major cortexes and their locations.

The cortexes are the outermost layer of the brain. These areas of the brain surface

control different functions of the body and the mind.


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This is what's known as a sagittal view of the brain. It's a length wise cross

section of the brain. It gives us a look at some of the internal structures of the

brain.


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CEREBRALCORTEX

Highest set of integrating centers of the human brain.

Can connect to any part of brain, directly or indirectly.

CORPUSSTRIATUM

Located in the walls of the cerebral hemispheres.

Regulates the sequence and timing of movements,processes certain facial expressions in emotion andcontrols sequential acts such as swinging the arms forbalance when one walks.

THALAMUS

Serves as an integrating center Also serves as a relay center for incoming sensory input to

the cerebral cortex.

Many impulses going from one area of the cerebral cortexto another travel by way of synapses in the thalamus.


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HYPOTHALMUS

Regulates the A.N.S and reacts to changes in the internal environment byarousing and sustaining responses that serve homeostasis, thereby servingas center for drives.

MIDBRAIN

It surrounds the cerebral aqueduct above which the 2 pea-shapedcolliculi,the visual and auditory reflex centers, are found.

The floor of the midbrain contains tracts of conducting fibres and a fewsynaptic centers.

PONS

It is a great mass of fibres that suround the brainstem and grasp it on thelateral and ventral aspects .

MEDULLA

The medulla contains many centers for the so-called vital reflexes of thebody, which regulate, for instance ,heart rate, breathing and vomiting.


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Chocolate's Potential Health Benefits and its Effect

on

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Patients.

(A research by-

Patti Schmidt,March 29, 2002)

The research was presented in February at the American

Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS)

annual meeting in Boston.

Flavonoids are plant compounds with potent antioxidant

properties; so far, scientists have found more than 4,000

kinds. Cocoa beans contain large quantities of flavonoids,

and so do red wine, tea, cranberries, peanuts, strawberries,

apples and many other fruits and vegetables.The flavonoids

in chocolate are called flavonols.

The benefits found are-

Nitric Oxide :

Those who drank cocoa with more flavonols showed more nitric oxide activity.

Nitric oxide (NO), a compound critical for healthy blood flow ,blood pressure. and, in turn,

cardiovascular health,"


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Promotes Blood Flow:

The other study compared how

blood platelets responded to a flavonol-rich

cocoa drink with 25 grams of semi-sweetchocolate pieces and a blood-thinning,81-milligram aspirin dose. The research

found similar reactions to the two from a

group of 20- to 40-year-olds: both the drink

and the aspirin prevented platelets from sticking

together or clotting, which can impede blood flow.

In other words, flavonol-rich cocoa and chocolate act similarly to low-dose

Aspirin in promoting healthy blood flow. Reducing the blood's ability to

clot also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attacks.


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Antioxidant Power:

Studies show that cocoa powder, dark chocolate and

milk chocolate have higher Oxygen Radical Absorption

Capacity (ORAC) values than many common foods, such as

prunes and blueberries. (ORAC values measure how

powerful an antioxidant a substance is.)(An antioxidant is a

substance that inhibits oxidation or reactions promoted by

oxygen and peroxides, and that include many held to protect

the living body from the deleterious effects of free radicals.

Examples include beta-carotene, vitamin C, and alpha-tocopherol. )

others -

The stimulants theobromine, caffeine, tyramine and phenylethylamine (PEA) provide a (brain-

fogged PWC with a much-needed lift. )Tryptophan, an essential amino acid, lessens

anxiety by producing the neurotransmitter serotonin; endorphins,

the body's natural opiates, reduce sensitivity to pain.

Anandamide acts like a cannabinoid (substances that mimic marijuana. )promotes relaxation.

And last but certainly not least, chocolate is a natural analgesic (pain killer); and high-fat,

chocolate foods trigger the brain's production of natural opiates.


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SPECIFIC EFFECTS!


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Prof David Kennedy, director of the brain,

performance and nutrition research centre

at Northumbria University, and a co-authorof the study, said that chocolate could be

beneficial for mentally challenging tasks.

The findings suggest students who binge

on chocolate when revising for exams

may gain a real benefit from doing so.

"For things that are difficult to do,

mentally demanding things that may

crop up in your work it could help,

" Prof Kennedy said.

The flavanols, part of a group of chemicals

called polyphenols, work by increasing the flow of blood into the brain.

For the study 30 volunteers were asked to count backwards in groups of three from a

random number between 800 and 999 generated by a computer. Result:-calculations

were more quick and accurate after having the drink. However, the same was not true

when the group was asked to count backwards in groups of seven, which the

researchers described as a more complex task, requiring a slightly different part of the

brain.

HOW CHOCOLATE CAN IMPROVE YOUR MATHS?


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The findings also show that the volunteers did not get as tired

doing the calculations if they had been given the cocoa drink(totalof 500mg of flavanol), despite being asked to do them over and

over for an hour. Although the amount was too great to be foundnaturally in the diet, researchers said that people should ensure

that they have lots of flavanols, also found in fruit and vegetables,on a regular basis.

Dark chocolate contains higher quantaties of the chemical than

plain or milk chocolate.

Prof Kennedy added: "The more fruitand vegetables and things that are

high in polyphenols the better thatis for your brain in the long run."


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The cacao bean and its bran have the highest polyphenol levels.

"P

rocessing the beans destroys some polyphenols; temperature, chemicalchanges and duration of exposure contribute to the loss. So the level ofpolyphenols in the final product vary. Cocoa processors and chocolate

manufacturers are beginning to take precautions to minimize the losses.

Mars Incorporated(A candy company) recently developed a proprietary method

for processing cocoa beans called Cocoapro, which preserves polyphenols by

changing the way the beans are selected, fermented, dried, as well as how

they're processed and formulated, said external affairs director Machut. Some

Mars candy bars feature the CocoaPro label. In this way consumers can identifychocolates that retain much of a cocoa bean's initial flavonoid riches.

There are about 30 milligrams of caffeine in your average chocolate bar, while a

cup of coffee contains 100 -150 mgs.


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PEA causes blood pressure and blood sugar to rise, and you'll feel alert

and content for awhile. But those good feelings are likely to be followed

by a sugar-induced drop in energy that leaves you more tired than before

you ate the candy.

Cannabinoids are substances that mimic marijuana. The chemical in

marijuana that makes people "high" - tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - binds to

certain receptors in the brain. The anandamide in chocolate can bind to the

same receptors, producing a "high.


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Thus we can conclude by saying that eating chocolate could

help to sharpen up the mind and give a short-term boostto cognitive skills and thus have a great effect on brain

as a University of Nottingham expert has Found .

So keep munching guys.


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effect of chocolate on brain

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