Let’s start by introducing the general layout of the human brain.  This layout is present from birth and is consistent in all animals from very primitive species all the way up to humans.

At the bottom an adult human brain,  we have the spinal cord which is bringing information into the brain and sending it back to the body. One thing to remember is that the closer we are to the spinal cord, the more basic functions are. We then have the hindbrain and the midbrain. And...

It’s a familiar story to many of us. It’s the start of a New Year and we promise to do Dry January, sign up for a new gym membership and commit to losing 10 pounds so we can fit into that new outfit. However, many of us find this sort of behaviour change really challenging, and we often fall back into our old drinking and eating habits before the month is out.

So why are habits so hard to break? How can we break unwanted habits? And how can we introduce new habits into our life?...

We sleep for a third of our life. That means if you are 80 you have been asleep for 27 years! But many of us give surprisingly little attention or care to our sleep. We should do however, because it is critical for our memory right now and later in life. 

In the 1950s, we spent, on average, 8 hours a night sleeping. In our modern busy lives, we only sleep for about 6.5 hours. That is 1.5 hours of sleep per night lost in 70 years.

This neglect of our sleep is often the result of a major...

When we describe our emotions, we typically label them in a way that reflects how we feel: love, sadness, fear, happiness, sadness, anger, disgust, panic or depressed. But what causes us to feel an emotion?

To understand what causes you to feel emotions, we need to dive deep inside your brain to look at an ancient set of structures. The limbic system is one of the oldest parts of your brain (evolved in early humans). It is a group of brain structures that surround the brain stem, which...

Dr Zoe Webb, a qualified clinical psychologist, explains how you can become a clinical psychologist. Zoe answers the most important questions about training and practicing as a clinical psychologist, including:

1. What is a clinical psychologist?

2. How do you train to be clinical psychologist?

3. What attributes do you think you need to be a clinical psychologist?

4. Do you have to pay for your training? How much does it cost?

5. What is the difference between a psychiatrist and clinical...

Strong essays tell the reader an argument that answers the question and convinces them using evidence. Weak essays often summarise or regurgitate the course material. The latter illustrates a lack of understanding of what is required in an essay. I want to share with you a recipe which, if followed correctly, never fails to deliver an excellent essay. This recipe can be used not only for scientific essays but all forms of evidence-based argument under either exam or coursework...

Brain science (or neuroscience) is the scientific study of the nervous system. This includes the brain, spinal cord and behaviour. It attempts to understand and explain the structure and function of the brain - neurons and neural circuits - and how their collective action produces behaviour. Neuroscience not only examines how the brain works under normal circumstances but also how it functions in people with neurological and psychiatric disorders. 

The brain is the most complex organ in...