Neuron Communication and Energy Efficiency
The human brain is a marvel of biological engineering. It is so incredibly complex that we cannot replicate it with today’s modern technologies. Just to get a sense of its complexity, to map a human brain in a 3D model, a project was started in 2013 and ended in 2023 by the European Union called the Human Brain Project. This project spans over 10 years, with over 500 scientists working and a budget of €600 million. So, it took over a decade to map just one brain, and every brain in the world is different.
This complex organ is responsible for storing memories, creating emotions, and other bodily functions. Although it is only about 2% of our body weight, it consumes an astonishing 20% of our total daily energy expenditure. This voracious appetite for energy is understandable due to the large scope of processes it needs to perform to ensure we stay alive. In this article, we will delve into how amazing the brain is at managing different activities. We will also discuss how, despite being very power-hungry, it manages energy very efficiently.
1. What is Energy for the Brain
So, we all know that the brain is a power-hungry beast that requires a constant supply of energy. Most of this energy is produced within the brain itself with the help of Glucose in the powerhouse of cells called Mitochondria. Glucose is a good source of energy for muscles or tissues, but it has to be converted into ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) before it is consumed by the brain.
Now, the majority of energy—about 75%—is required for inter-naural communication, and the remaining energy is used to maintain the temperature and general maintenance of the cells. Hence, the majority of the work is done in neural communications, where these tiny neurons are transmitting electrical signals to each other.
2. Difference Between a Neuron and a Cluster of Neurons
When a single neuron is firing electrical signals, it is probably agitated because of the chemical or hormonal changes around it, or its neighboring neuron must have given it some charge that it must pass on to the next neuron. This feels like neurons are gossiping, always transferring information from one end to the other. When a neuron is transmitting a signal to other neighboring cells, we call it Synapses.
Now, our brain has trillions of neurons; all these neurons are densely packed close to each other in an amorphous structure. This means neurons tend to form stronger bonds with some and weaker bonds with other neighbors. This property of neurons allows our brain to form closed, recognizable structures. A single neuron firing randomly can trigger a chain of synapses within its clusters of neurons. However, there can be some instances where the information leaks from the closed neural circuit and permeates through to the neighboring neural clusters, triggering them as well.
3. How Do Brains Generate New Ideas?
Even if there is some loss of energy due to the random, uncontrolled firing of neurons, it still follows The Law of Conservation of Energy. How? It will be discussed in detail in a separate section of Brilliant Supply Chain when we discuss The Laws Governing Organization and Sustainability. We know that most of the energy is used for synapses and inter-neural communication. So, all the processes, like memory storage, respiration, sight, etc., are encoded within these neural clusters. The same neural communications direct the vital organs and manage their seamless coordination. When a particular neuron cluster is triggered. Our brain decodes the triggering of that neural cluster in relation to the neighboring synapse. This makes our brain very creative, as we can randomly come across a new idea because of the random firing of neurons in our brain.
But this is not as simple; there is still another complex interplay between our conscious and subconscious minds. Both work together and take on different roles. We cannot understand the full scope of our brain’s potential without first understanding them. Hence, in the second part of understanding Inside the Brain, we will dive deeper into how memories are formed, the role of memories in Idea Generation, how we store and interpret information, and finally the relationship between computers and Human Memory. Find all these articles on the dedicated page for Inside the Brain, or simply chick Back at the bottom of the page.
4. Efficiency of the Brain
Let us get an overview of how our brain effectively manages energy. The brain’s energy efficiency plan is a remarkable strategy that allows it to function optimally while conserving energy. Despite having 86 billion neurons, most of them remain relatively silent until activated. This strategic silence ensures that only the necessary circuits are engaged, minimizing unnecessary energy expenditure. Rather than maintaining constant firing, the brain selectively activates specific regions based on the task at hand. By allocating energy precisely where needed, the brain achieves a delicate balance between functionality and metabolic conservation, making it an extraordinary example of efficiency in biological systems.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, the energy requirements of the brain are a fascinating topic that sheds light on the metabolic activities and nervous system of the body. We also see a remarkable orchestration of vital organs performing activities as directed by the brain. Understanding how the brain works and its energy utilization is essential for unraveling the mysteries of brain function, how memories are created, the conscious and subconscious mind, etc. As research in this field continues to advance, we can further gain understanding of our brain, which is a miraculous gift of biological engineering.