ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY DETAILS ABOUT YOUR GLIAL CELLS Brain Flash Card #6/April 12, 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 your glial brain cells with the overall concept of the global connectivity of your brain's structures and their functions. You can explore how the brain idea glial cells relates to the new brain idea of your brain's global connectivity by momentarily focusing your attention on the following circular symbol and the #6 red arrow: See #6 = Glial Cells Brain Idea 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 an entity (a conscious living human brain) made up of many parts with a sum total of meaning that is greater than all of its separate parts. Each of the 15 primary brain ideas in the image, which are emphasized on this website, can converge and merge in your mind to produce the mental force (brainpower) that can empower you to stand up for your self-beliefs. 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. Note: See also neurons #2, dendrites #3, axons #4, nucleus #5, potentiation #7, connectome #9, plasticity #10, cerebral cortex #11, and prefrontal cortex #12. 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 read your mashup of these ideas in a few hours and then in a few days to take advantage of the spaced-repetition method of learning. instantly go to: FACT FINDER LIST OF BOOKS ABOUT GLIAL CELLS #6 or instantly return to: GLIAL CELLS: BRAIN FLASH CARD #6 or instantly return to: ALPHABETICAL BRAIN™ VOCABULARY INDEX produced by Infinite Interactive Ideas™