Are we only using 10% of our brain?

This myth known on the brain, like what we would only use 10% of its capacity, is rewarding for the human being. He suggests that we could be a lot smarter, more efficient, and more creative if we could harness the remaining 90% of the brain, which we may be wasting today. Unfortunately, it’s not true, and we’ll see why.

10% of the regions of our brain?

First of all, you have to understand what this 10% use corresponds to. If they refer to 10% of the regions of brain, it is easy to refute the claim. Indeed, thanks to a technique called Magnetic resonance imaging, neuroscientists can identify the parts of the brain that are activated when a person does or thinks about something.

A simple action, such as opening and closing the hand or saying a few words, requires much more activity than a tenth of the brain. Even when the person does nothing, the brain works, by controlling functions such as breathing, heart rate and memory.

10% of the number of brain cells?

If the 10% mentioned refers to the number of brain cells, the claim is still not verified. This is because when a nerve cell stops being used, it degenerates and dies.

However, the brain needs many resources and our body does not allow brain cells to remain inactive, they are too important for the proper functioning of the organism. Maintaining brain tissue consumes 20% of all the oxygen we breathe.

10% of cells are functional?

We know that nine brain cells in ten are support cells, which provide physical and nutritional assistance to other tissues. The remaining 10% are neurons, which are responsible for transmitting information so that we can “think”.

Some people have interpreted that the 10% of cells that take care of thought could take advantage of neurons to increase their number, and thus the capacity of the brain. brain. However, these two types of cells are physically separate and cannot be turned into neurons to give us more mental power. The balance of our brain is such that there are the “10% who think”, and the “90% who help to think”.

What percentage of our brain is actually used?

The brain is a very complex organ, the exact function of which we do not yet know. It is located in the brain cavity, which is considered to be the core ofintelligence and learning about the body. It is divided into two parts: the left and right cerebral hemispheres, which are connected by the corpus callosum, a structure formed by thick nerve fibers.

The two cerebral hemispheres have distinct functions. The left hemisphere is in most cases linked to language, memories, speech. He performs calculations and works at the resolution of problems. The right hemisphere is more related to the interpretation of images, manual skills, intuition, and the perception of music. It’s also worth mentioning that for most individuals, the hemispheres rule opposite sides of the body. This means that the left side of the brain, for example, controls the movements made on the right side of the body.

To come back to its percentage of use, this is a figure that remains unknown to researchers today. Much of our cerebral nervous system works to keep our bodies running smoothly, but it is impossible to attribute a percentage to its use, which can be seen as the use of an interconnected network in the tasks we do. .