DSA Better Brain Nation Magazine Volume 1 Issue 1 - Magazine - Page 18
The Mighty Word™
BUILD A BIGGER
DICTIONARY
COGNITIVE adjective (pg. 3)
Involving intellectual brain
activity (such as thinking,
reasoning, or remembering).
COGNITIVE RESERVE noun (pg. 11)
Often imagined as a thicker
dictionary in your brain
versus a thinner one.
CORTISOL noun (pg. 5)
A hormone produced by the adrenal
glands in response to stress.
ANTHOCYANINS noun (pg. 3)
Water-soluble pigments that,
depending on their pH, may appear
red, purple, blue, or black. They're
found in many fruits, flowers, and
vegetables, as well as some leaves.
DOPAMINE noun (pg. 5)
A chemical messenger in the
brain that helps nerve cells send
messages to each other. Dopamine
acts on areas of the brain to
give you feelings of pleasure,
satisfaction, and motivation.
ENDORPHIN noun (pg. 6)
A chemical naturally released in
the brain to reduce pain that, in
large amounts, can make you
feel relaxed or full of energy.
ENIGMA noun (pg. 12)
Something hard to understand
or explain.
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MICROBES noun (pg. 6)
Tiny living things in water,
soil, and the air that are too
small to be seen with the
naked eye. The human body is
home to millions of microbes,
also called microorganisms.
The most common types are
bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
NEUROPLASTICITY noun (pg. 15)
The ability of the brain to form
and reorganize connections,
especially in response to learning
or experience or after an injury.
NEUROSCIENCE noun (pg. 15)
A branch of the life sciences that
deals with the anatomy, physiology,
and biochemistry of nerves and
nervous tissue, especially with their
relation to behavior and learning.
PATHOLOGY noun (pg. 11)
The structural and functional
deviations from the norm that
characterize a particular disease.
SEROTONIN noun (pg. 5)
A chemical that sends signals
between the nerve cells. Serotonin
is found in the digestive system,
blood platelets, and throughout
the central nervous system. It also
plays a role in regulating mood.
Better Brain Nation Magazine • Volume 1 | Issue 1
