ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY DETAILS ABOUT YOUR GLIAL CELLS Brain Flash Card #6 April 24, 2016 WHAT ARE YOUR GLIAL CELLS AND WHY ARE THEY SO IMPORTANT? BRAIN SCIENCE FACTS What is the purpose and function of your glial brain cells? Your glial cells are the approximately 900 billion brain cells in your brain and nervous system that protect and facilitate the functioning of your 100 billion neurons. They are the specialized brain cells known as "white matter" which cover the axon filaments of your neurons with myelin sheaths. It is helpful to simplify the most complex three pounds of matter in the universe (your brain) by integrating the idea of glial cells with the overall concept of the global connectivity of your brain's structures and their functions. You can explore how the new brain idea of glial cells relates to the new brain idea about your brain's global connectivity by momentarily focusing your attention on the following circular symbol and the #6 red arrow: See #6 = GLIAL CELLS THIS SYMBOL REPRESENTS A SIMPLIFIED HOLISTIC VIEW OF THE GLOBAL CONNECTIVITY NECESSARY FOR HUMAN CONSCIOUSNESS This circular symbol was created to convey a powerful visual image of the previously unimaginable coalescence of the many diverse and interactive physical brain structures that form the wonderful new idea of your self-manifesting holistic brain. The symbol of 14 red arrows pointing toward the circle of human consciousness, depicts a conscious living human brain that is made up of many parts with a sum total of meaning that is greater than all of its separate parts. Each of the 15 brain ideas in the image can converge and merge in your mind to produce the process of your self-directed neuroplasticity or, more simply, your mental force. Your glial brain cells nourish, lubricate, and protect the axon filaments of your neurons from toxins. Your glial cells permit action potential spikes of biochemical electrical current (signals) to flow through the axon filaments faster and they insulate the spikes from the signals of other neurons. PRINTABLE PDF FORM DETAILS ABOUT GLIAL CELLS (for your own editing and memory consolidation) RECOMMENDATION: Print this PDF version and read it. Underline or highlight with colors the most important new brain ideas to save them in your long-term memory. Then edit this text to personalize it and read your edited version of these ideas in a few hours and in a few days and then a week later to take advantage of the spaced-repetition method of learning. instantly return to: 15 STEPS TO THE STAIRWAY TO ENLIGHTENMENT or instantly return to: ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY INDEX produced by Infinite Interactive Ideas™