With the death of the former heavyweight-boxing champion, Joe Frazier early last week, many questions surfaced about his condition and how much of it was due to his prolific career as a hard-punching athlete. One of the major accomplishments in his illustrious career was his victory over the very flamboyant Muhammad Ali, who is currently suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Both athletes were known for their powerful punches, but more importantly, their ability to take numerous blows to the head.
The question I submitted was based on the inability of brain cells to regenerate. Brain cells are one of the only specialized cells not able to repair or replicate after a person is born. According to Bryson (2008), a person is born with 100 billion or so brain cells at birth and that is the most they will ever have. I have heard that brain cells never complete the cell cycle and that they usually stay in the interphase stage of mitosis for the duration of their lives.
What differentiates a brain cell, specifically the neuron, from other body cells (skin, hair, fingernails, etc.) that make it unable to complete mitosis?
I have yet to hear back from the scientists at Ask a Scientist and I am looking forward to their reply and explanation. Several questions surfaced during our discussion session in class that prompted me to do further research. Dr. Lyman posed a very interesting question linking dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to boxing related injuries. Here is what I found:
According to the American Academy or Neurology, boxing related injuries are common triggers for dementia and Alzheimer disorders (among boxers with more than 12 professional bouts) , but little information has been found that links Parkinson's, the disorder that Muhammad Ali is stricken with, with boxing. The reason stems from the location in the brain where these diseases arise. Parkinson's results from damage to the mid-brain, while dementia and Alzheimer's derives from damage to the temporal and frontal lobes respectively (Clancy, 2006). The research goes on to imply that Muhammad Ali would have been fated with his disorder even if he had been a lawyer. Despite this claim, there appears to be a genetic link between Alzheimer's and traumatic brain injury. One common gene variation known as ApoE4, a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's, has been linked to an increase in the severity of brain damage experienced by boxers (Clancy, 2006).
I initially had two questions when I started the search for answers, but was not willing to wait for a reply. I took it upon myself to research and find the answer to my question. The other question that stemmed from my study had to do with the size of our brains and heads. This may seem like a silly question, but I had a genuine curiosity about it. Effective learning requires that students take control of their own learning (BSCS, 2005).
An adult’s brain case is much larger than a newborn’s. If neurons do not regenerate, then what fills in the space?
After some investigating, I found the answer to my question about brain size. There is no doubt that neurons do not regenerate after birth, but what I found is that there is another type of brain cell called glial cells that are used in myelination of neurons (insulation/transmission). These cells continue to reproduce well into adulthood and are responsible for the white matter in the brain. It is also the major cell involved in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
Prompting discussion questions that are open to variations of interests allow students to “take control” of their learning. These discussion questions seem much more engaging because it allows us to search and study topics that pique our interest. Websites like “Ask a Scientist” allow students to connect with real scientists in the field. Being able to utilize this in the classroom can have major benefits to a student’s learning. Not only does it bring science to life, but also this communication between professional and student can turn out to have a lasting impact in the student’s pursuit of a STEM career. If the turn around on the replies were not too long, it would be a wonderful tool to use in the classroom.
Reference:
Bryson, B. (2008). A really short history of nearly everything. New York, NY: Delacorte Press.
BSCS. (2005). Information about the process of scientific inquiry (pp. 1–3). Retrieved from http://science.education.nih.gov/Supplements/NIH6/inquiry/guide/info_process-a.htm
Clancy, F. (2006). The Bitter Science: Head blows from boxing can cause dementia and Alzheimer's. Can the same chronic brain injury also lead to Parkinson's?. American Academy of Neurology. Neurology Now. March/April 2006; Volume 2(2); p 24-25.
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