Here are a few fun facts about the brain and nervous system!
1. The average adult brain weighs about 3 pounds.
2. The brain consumes about 20% of the body's total energy (this energy is used to power sodium-potassium ATPases which are important in neuronal transmission)
3. The average human brain is not fully mature until the age of 25.
4. A motor neuron can innervate many muscle fibers, but a muscle fiber can only be innervated by one motor neuron.
5. The human brain contains around 100 billion neurons.
6. Though GABA is a common inhibitory neurotransmitter, in development GABAergic synapses may be excitatory.
7. There are many different neurons and nerves in the body with different characteristics such as myelination, diameter, and size.
8. The brain can produce enough electricity to power a light bulb.
9. There are no pain receptors in the brain.
10. There are 100,000 miles of blood vessels in the brain.
We hope you enjoyed these fun facts and continue to learn more about the brain! Contact Brainstorm to host a workshop with your organization.