Friday, March 25, 2011

Theme Research/Additional Images

The Brain:

Source 1:


http://www.news-medical.net/health/Human-Brain-Structure.aspx

This article provides an excellent description of the structure and function of the different regions of the brain, as well as providing informative diagrams. The article highlights two areas of the brain that feature interesting geometrical forms that have potential for use in modelling.

The first is the cerebral cortex (the convoluted outer cellular layer), a sheet of neural tissue that has been folded over and over again to maximise the surface area able to fit into the skull. The second area is the cerebellum, a relatively small region at the base of the brain that plays an important role in motor control and cognitive functions. It has quite a unique form compared to the rest of the brain, with its surface a series of horizontal furrows.

When we look at the form of these two areas, we notice that while they are quite different in many ways, they do share similar geometry when broken down into their first principles. In essence, they are both a series of lines or tubes, weaving and interlocking in a dynamic relationship. It is this theme that I wish to explore in my experiments.

Source 2:

http://www.humanneurophysiology.com/cerebellum.htm

This page provides more detailed information on the structure of the cerebellum, the region of the brain I feel is the most geometrically interesting. "The cerebellar surface is regular and grooved, forming folia (folds). Some of the grooves are particularly deep, forming fissures, which
separate the cerebral mass into lobules". These irregular clusters of interlocking tubes are perfect for the experimental modelling of visually exciting and complex iterations.



This image (http://www.psywww.com/intropsych/ch02_human_nervous_system/cerebellum.html) compares the geometric structure of the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex. While they are different, they both share some of the same basic structural features.




This image (http://www.ganfyd.org/index.php?title=Cerebellum) highlights the complex nature of the cerebellum's structure. Series of parallel lines intersect and weave amongst eachother, forming irregular clumps.


This image (http://www.anatomyatlases.org/atlasofanatomy/plate23/04cerebspinalc.shtml) gives us a closer look at the geometry of the cerebellum, and one can see clearly the way these tube-like structures weave amongst eachother.

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