Your brain is a complex and still-mysterious living computer that controls everything from your moods to your heat rate. The brain is comprised of separate parts, and each part carries out a special function, but each segment also works in cooperation with every other.
Certain substances, like food and drugs, affect certain parts of your brain. Some effects are good and some are dangerous. When health officials warn that substances are “bad” for you, their words might seem vague and improbable. It might help to better understand what these possibilities are.
There was a time when scientists believed that our brains were affected by alcohol intake only after years of abuse. Recent studies indicate that moderate drinking in teens can affect things like “thinking, planning, inhibition, and emotional regulation.”
Our ability to remember is related to our ability to learn, and there have been many studies about sleep and its effects on memory, learning, and retention. These studies suggest that good sleep habits are essential to good study habits.
Did you know that it’s essential to drink at least 84 ounces of water a day in order to keep your brain healthy? Certain foods can also improve your brain function and help you live healthier and longer.
If you’ve ever seen, heard about, or read about a teenager who has suffered a brain injury from a tragic accident brought about by carelessness, speeding, or alcohol use, you can understand the horrible consequences of dangerous behavior. Did you know that the club drug Ecstasy can do the same kind of damage?
Marijuana in your system disrupts the circulation system's ability to regulate itself. It impairs the tiny blood vessels inside your brain, and that damage affects the flow of blood. Instead of flowing smoothly in your brain, the blood squirts through more rapidly, much like it does in people with dangerously high blood pressure.
Cocaine use can damage the dophamine system of your brain, which is a part of your brain that is involved in decision-making, memory, and analysis. In other words, cocaine use impairs your ability to do school work as well as any job that involves sharp thinking skills—forever.
