Photo by Ethan Hein
The Brain and the kidneys are both significant organs in the human body. They play distinct roles as they work separately with each physiologic function they perform. These organs are vital because with their absence, the body will not function normally. Both have hormonal functions that make them similar. They have either four parts separated by hemispheres and fissures as in the case of the brain or in pairs with the ureters that connect the left and right bilateral kidneys.
The Brain
This organ is wrinkled or folded in appearance with four main parts such as cerebral, diencephalons, brain stem and cerebellum. It is a highly complicated organ with remarkable nerve cells. These nerve cells are usually fibers that are covered by connective tissue, and carries impulses through neurotransmitters to the different parts of the body.
The Kidney
The kidney is a bean-shaped red paired organ that lies beneath the parietal peritoneum. Typically contains approximately 1.5 millions of nephrons, which are considered as its functional unit responsible for urine formation. Every minute, blood passes through this organ for cleansing purposes. It excretes nitrogen-containing wastes through urine, maintains electrolyte-water homeostasis and acid- base balance in the system.
Connection Between the Brain and Kidney
Every system in the body has an interconnection to play; they are not independent in their actions. Each organ has multivariate functions that support, link and connect with the other organs. Even an accessory organ has the noble task of carrying specific work so the body will function well.
Every minute, blood passes through the kidney for cleansing purposes.
It is always the function of the nervous system, where the brain acts as the center, to maintain the balance among the different systems with their electrical signals, and activate the glands and muscle for hormonal production and management. The brain and the spinal cord interpret sensory information and provide command for proper action of the affected organ.
Similarly, the autonomic nervous system is a motor function of the brain that consists of special types of nerve cells. This controls and manages different muscle groups and gland for their activities and production. One of which is the kidney. The parasympathetic division which is located in the brain of cranial nerves propels their preganglionic axons to leave the spinal cord and form the pelvic nerves. These preganglionic axons synapse with the second motor nerve cell in terminal ganglia down to the kidneys.
The hypothalamus, which is the master gland of the brain and considered as the center for many drives is an important part of the limbic system. Normally, when the blood pressure is depreciating in the cases of excessive perspiration, low levels of sodium in blood or blood loss, this hypothalamus will stimulate the posterior pituitary gland to release the Anti-Diuretic hormone (ADH) which enthuse kidney tubule cells to reabsorb more water, resulting to less water loss in the urine and increase blood volume, finally elevating and managing blood pressure.
In the same way, the connection of the brain and kidney is obvious during the decrease in the blood pressure. It will start with the stimulation of hypothalamus to release the rennin from the kidney that leads to the formation of angiostenin II in the blood causing the smooth muscle of the blood vessel to be constricted resulting to the rising of blood pressure.
Conclusion
The brain and kidney are classified as low resistance end-organs which are exposed to high-volume blood flow during the cardiac cycle. This is a confirmation that they have pulsating nature and are interconnected. Also, vascular diseases such as infarctions, chronic fibrosis and atrophy can be prevented or treated when diagnosed early, because there is a resemblance in the vascular supply of these two organs, the disease of one organ will suggest information of the other organ. So the treatment and prevention will be uncomplicated as the diagnostic tool for the examination will be readily available. Their connection through nervous system and blood supply is indeed overwhelming. It is a superb view of mutualism and support system. After all, one is not complete without the presence of the other.
