Physiology - Health And Fitness

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Physiology - Health and Fitness

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Nails

May 12th 2006 08:43

Long nails!

Body Part of the Day - Nails

Fingernails and toenails are made of protein - similar to the composition of hair, but obviously much harder.

Fingernails require 3 to 6 months to regrow completely. Toenails require 12 to 18 months. Although, growth of nails is not constant, and is dependent on age, season, exercise level, and hereditary factors.

Although we are usually unaware of it, our fingernails form an integral component of our abilities to grip and scratch. Many people addicitvely bite their nails as it is often used to relieve stress. However, biting your nails can result in the transportation of germs that are buried under the surface of the nail into the mouth. Just remember that if you’re a nail biter, whatever you touch will eventually get into your mouth!

Artificial nails have recently become widely popular. These nails are not a replacement, but an extension for natural nails. There are two main approaches to creating artificial nails—tips and forms. Tips are lightweight plates that are glued on the natural nail. Forms are fit over the nail and then an artificial nail is molded and the form is removed.

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Posted By: RachDegab - Category: Physiology

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The Brainstem and Cerebellum

May 5th 2006 06:35

Body Part(s) of the Day – The Brainstem and Cerebellum

The Brain - Note: not actual colours...!

The brainstem provides the body’s life-supporting functions, such as control of the heart rate, blood pressure and breathing, as well as less vital but highly important functions such as swallowing, vomiting, sneezing, balance and coordination. Due to the vital functions it controls, damage to the brainstem during head injury leads to coma and death when an increase in intracranial pressure (within the brain) squashes it.

The cerebellum or ‘little brain’ is involved in balance, maintenance of muscle tone, and coordination of fine motor movement. If this area of the brain is damaged, muscle tone decreases and fine motor movements become very clumsy.

Throughout evolution our cerebrum (the large part of the brain that looks like a walnut) has increased in size dramatically making humans number one in cognitive intelligence. While our brainstem and cerebellum provided vital functions and everyday movement, our language, reasoning, learning, sensory perception, and emotional responses developed with the enlargement of the cerebrum.

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Posted By: RachDegab - Category: Physiology

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The Skull

April 28th 2006 00:18

Body part of the Day – The Skull

In osteology, (the study of bones, with ‘osteo’ meaning bone) the skull is known as the cranium. It supports the structures of the face and protects the brain against injury.

In humans, the adult skull is made up of 28 bones. Except for the mandible (the jaw bone), the bones of the skull are fused together and allow very little movement. As you may already know, when babies are born their skull bones are not all joined in this way and hence their heads are very delicate, especially around the back of the head where there is quite a gap between skull bones.

Interesting side note: The skull protects the brain against injury if there is a blow to the head. In the event that brain damage does occur, it is usually on account of the brain moving around inside the skull and colliding with it, rather than the skull actually being penetrated and the brain being damaged directly.