Using Your Noodle: Busting Myths about the Human Brain
Not only do all myths come from the human brain, there are plenty of myths about the human brain, too. We'll take a look at five in this brainy li'l article.
The human brain is the seat of human consciousness, so it's no surprise that many of us are keenly curious about how it works. Unfortunately, some aspects of brain function are still poorly understood, and a few miscalculations and misperceptions about the brain have long been perpetuated as myth.
If you've been convinced by the psychobabble about a right brain/left brain dichotomy or the "fact" that we only use 10 percent of our brains, then you've come to the right place. Take a look around, and we'll try to set you straight.
Myth 1: The average person uses only 10% of their brain.
You hear this myth about the human brain over and over, but repetition doesn't make it true. In actuality, it's a piece of pop psychology claptrap that's been picked up by everyone from purveyors of the latest snake oil to motivational speakers at business luncheons. And it's demonstrably false.
High-tech brain scans have proven that you use 100% of your brain, mostly to maintain your autonomic functions like breathing, heartbeat, and metabolism. At any given moment, however, only about one percent of your brain cells are active.
Myth 2: Brain health and longevity is mostly due to genetic factors.
While it's always a good idea to choose the right parents, the truth is that the human brain responds very well to mental exercise. A stimulating intellectual life, fun hobbies, an enjoyable occupation, and advanced education can reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and similar problems by up to 40%. Not only that, but if you keep mentally active, you'll probably live longer. So keep doing those Sudoku puzzles, and never stop learning!
Myth 3: The two sides of the brain operate independently.
This is another erroneous piece of pop psychology. While the cerebral cortex (the main portion of the brain) does have two sides, or "hemispheres," that control different functions, research has demonstrated that both sides of the brain are constantly active in most situations, especially when you're learning.
The human brain's hemispheres work cooperatively, almost never at cross purposes. That said, there are a few conditions that can cause the two hemispheres of the brain to act as two separate brains, but they're vanishingly rare -- the kind of things you hear about at cocktail parties, or read in books.
Myth 4: Adults lose an enormous number of brain cells every day.
This doesn't sound too unrealistic, considering that we do go downhill as we age, but it's not true. Mis-measurements of brain cell density in elderly brains decades ago suggested that adults might lose up to 100,000 brain cells a day, which is frankly pretty frightening. However, recent re-measurements have revealed negligible losses (though minor losses causing forgetfulness do occur).
Myth 5: Video games will rot your brain.
Not necessarily. Some games can expand short-term memory, enhance coordination, and aid in training certain skills. Gamers rejoice! This is one myth about the human brain that you don't have to put up with anymore!
