The brain is the most complex and interesting structure of the human body. It is thanks to him that we talk, think, think, breathe, in general, live. One of its components is a small in size, but a substance of great importance - a blue spot.
Blue spot: what is it?
The blue spot of the brain is a formation located in the brain stem, namely, in the bridge. The bridge is the middle part of the trunk, located between the middle and medulla oblongata. The described formation is a component of a larger structure - the reticular formation. And she, in turn, is the main regulator of sleep and vigor.
The blue spot of the brain got its name due to the presence of melanin, which gives it a blue color.
Anatomy
The blue spot of the midbrain is located in the back of the bridge, near the fourth ventricle. Above it is the midbrain cover.
Although this formation occupies a very small part of the brain stem, its processes diverge far beyond the stem: to the cerebellum, thalamus, cortex, and amygdala.
The blue spot of the brain itself consists of distinct sections, in each of which nerve cells perform a certain function. The organization of this structure was investigated using a series of experiments. A special reagent was introduced into different zones of the cortex, capable of glowing in the photographs and retrograde movement, i.e., from the cortex to the underlying structures. Two injections of the reagent were made: one into the motor zone of the cortex, and the place of the other changed. Localization depended on which site could be studied. Researchers found that only a small fraction of nerve cells had projections in both areas. In addition, the bioelectric activity of individual groups of neurons was different, which depended on the projection site of their long processes (axons). This confirmed the complex structure of the blue spot.
Main functions
A blue spot in the human brain is the main source of norepinephrine or norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter that performs many important functions in the human body. Therefore, this structure is part of the noradrenergic system.
Due to the ability to synthesize the named substance, the following blue spot functions can be distinguished:
- Regulation of sleep and wakefulness - is provided by the generation of pulses of various frequencies. So, during the increased activity of the body, the described area of the brain is able to generate impulses with a higher frequency, and during sleep its activity gradually decreases to almost complete absence.
- Regulation of attention. In addition to norepinephrine proper, cholinergic cells also take part in this process.
- Regulation of behavioral reactions.
- The regulation of memorization, and therefore of learning.
Outside influence
The blue spot really plays a huge role in normalizing the daily activities of the whole organism. It affects almost every organ and system. However, the blue spot itself is subject to influence from the outside.
Significant events for a person change the work of this structure. They are able to both activate and inhibit its action. These changes may take a long time. And with a change in the work of the blue spot, the structures of the brain associated with it also change.
Scheme of work
Approximately the interaction pattern of the blue spot and the structures associated with it can be described as follows.
Suppose a person has focused on a specific object. After the nerve impulse has come into the blue spot, it spreads further to the higher parts of the brain that take part in thinking and behavior. These are such departments as the prefrontal cortex and the amygdala. Norepinephrine affects these structures, changing their activity. And our focus is on a specific subject.
But the structures affected by the blue spot of the brain can also have an effect on it. By focusing our attention on one subject, we can ignore other impulses. So, the person, having focused all attention on reading the text, ignores the hum of cars from the street.
Activity changes
The activity of the blue spot, as well as the entire noradrenergic system as a whole, can be either reduced or increased.
With its increased activity, a person experiences such emotions as fear, anxiety, aggression, lack of sleep, restlessness, high excitability. If the noradrenergic activity is reduced, the person feels apathy, a constant desire to sleep, difficulty thinking, lethargy.
Blue spot pathology
The activity of the noradrenergic system is constantly changing, and this is normal. The conditions of the external environment, the human body itself, are changing, and the activity of the blue spot is changeable. However, if these changes are permanent and excessive, then a person may experience mental and mental disorders.
So, if the blue spot activity is too high, the following pathological conditions can develop:
- post-traumatic stress disorder;
- panic attacks;
- manic attacks.
Mental disorders like depression and schizophrenia are more complex in origin. Although depression is mainly associated with depression and apathy, it can also manifest as insomnia and anxiety. Therefore, this condition occurs with different activity of the blue spot.
From all this information we can conclude that, despite its small size, the blue spot of the brain performs extremely important functions in the human body, regulating all the basic processes in it.