Many people believe in the notion that humans only use 10% of their brains, but in reality, even when resting or sleeping, most of the brain remains active.
Most parts of the brain are active almost all of the time. Image: BlueBackIMAGE/Shutterstock
The brain, the most complex human organ, is made up of three main regions: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem (brain stem). Areas of the brain both work independently and work together to perform tasks. Therefore, depending on the task, the amount of brain used will vary. Maybe not all areas are always active at all times, but that doesn't mean some parts become superfluous, IFL Science reported on April 29.
“We use nearly every part of the brain. Most of the brain is active almost all the time,” says neuroscientist Barry Gordon at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In fact, in a 24-hour period, all regions of the brain will be used. Even when people are resting or sleeping, most of the brain is still active.
“The evidence shows that in a day, you will use 100 percent of your brain,” says John Henley, a neuroscientist at the Mayo Clinic. However, this does not mean that when a part of the brain is removed or damaged, people will not be able to perform daily tasks. "The brain has a way of compensating to make sure the rest of the brain is in charge," adds Henley. This flexibility explains why some people who are missing a part of their brain can still function and function.
Before that, many people believed in the idea that humans only use 10% of the brain. However, the scientists used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to refute this information. fMRI measures blood flow and oxygenation in the brain to detect activity in different brain regions. This technique shows that, even when performing simple tasks, not only 10% of the brain is active, but a much larger number.
So 10% is used to refer to the number of brain cells or not? This is also incorrect, according to with the BBC. When any of these neurons are about to become superfluous, they either degenerate and either die or are invaded by other nearby areas. The human body won't let brain cells roam useless.
As such, the 10% figure is meaningless, according to neuroscientist Amy Reichelt. The brain makes up only 2% of the body mass but uses up to 20% of the energy. So there is no reason to waste a large amount of body resources and power only 10% of the brain.
Thu Thao (Follow IFL Science)
