El cerebro y la salud mental

If you'd like to see more scientifically accurate 3D medical images, subscribe to our channel:    / nucleushealthvideose   MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you know may have been diagnosed with a mental health problem, also known as a psychiatric disorder. This video will help you understand how the brain works in mental health and how problems can cause mental illness. Mental health is your ability to manage or cope with stress and enjoy daily life. It includes how you feel, think, act, and relate to others. Scientists study how certain areas of the brain affect mental health. For example, the brain's fear center, called the amygdala, helps you avoid harmful things and escape danger. In addition, the amygdala works with the prefrontal cortex to control your response to fearful and stressful events. The prefrontal cortex also helps with decision-making, problem-solving, and memory recall. The anterior cingulate cortex helps you focus on tasks and control your emotions. The hippocampus helps create and store new memories. The brain's working units are cells called neurons, also known as brain cells. Neurons pass messages to each other through electrical impulses. The impulses travel along a part of the neuron called the axon. Here you can see more closely how a message passes from one neuron to another. At the end of the axon, the impulse causes the neuron to release chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. These chemical messengers move across a tiny gap called the synaptic cleft and attach to another neuron. This triggers the neuron to produce its own impulse. In this way, impulses spread throughout the brain. Problems with this process can result in brain disorders known as mental illnesses. Not all the causes of mental illnesses are known. However, a number of factors can contribute to them. Some of these factors include a family history of mental illness, which can be passed from parents to children through genes; severe stressful or emotional events in life; or a head or brain injury. Other factors may include health problems such as heart disease, problems with other chemicals in the body called hormones, drug abuse and addiction, and an imbalance of chemical messengers in the brain. When there is an imbalance of chemical messengers in the brain, neurons may have trouble passing messages to each other. The most common chemical messenger is glutamate. It increases the likelihood of an impulse forming in other neurons. People with mental illnesses such as autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and depression may have trouble making or using glutamate. Serotonin, another chemical messenger, helps control mood, hunger, and sleep. For example, people with depression often don't have enough serotonin. Dopamine helps control movement and is involved with feelings of pleasure and addiction. Low levels of dopamine, or problems with the brain's ability to use it, may be linked to schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other disorders. An estimated 43.7 million adults in the United States have some type of mental illness. Modern research tools and advanced technology will allow scientists to better understand the brain and how mental illnesses occur. If you have any questions about mental health or any medication you have been prescribed, talk to your healthcare provider or doctor. It is important to take your medications as directed by your healthcare provider or doctor. Tell them about any side effects you experience. ANH15149es