Myths about Human Brain

The Human Brain is a power organ that controls all body functions, interprets information from the outside world and stores that information in our memory. Composed of Cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem, the brain controls our capacity for art, language, moral judgment and rational thought. But we humans have some very wrong ideas about our brain. Here are some of the myths about the common centre of the human nervous system.

Myth: We use only 10% of our brains – This is one of the most popular myths about brain. It can only be tracked down by the reverse energy theory by Harvard Psychologists William James and Boris Sidis. In 1890s, they tested the theory in the accelerated raising of a child, thereafter; James said that people only meet a fraction of their full mental potential, which is a plausible claim. Many of us believe that we could achieve so much more – learning new languages, musical instruments and sports – if only we applied ourselves. The myth sounds appealing because they see in terms of human potential – implying that we have huge reserves of untapped mental powers.

Myth: Brain damage is permanent – The brain can repair or compensate for certain losses, and even generate new cells. Scientists believe that the brain was unalterable, that once it was ‘broken’, it could not be fixed. However, it should be noted that the brain remains plastic throughout life, and can rewire itself in response to learning.

Myth: Doing crossword puzzles improves memory – A study led by researchers found that solving crossword puzzles initially delayed the onset of memory decline in individuals between the ages of 75 and 85, but sped the decline once a person showed signs of dementia. Today, most neurologists agree there is no harm in the activity but there is no great benefit other than making you an expert in crossword puzzles.

Myth: Being in coma is like being asleep. You wake up well rested – In real life, those emerging from coma often suffer disabilities and need rehabilitation. Scientists in 2012 found that high traffic brain regions – normally bright hubs of activity, even during sleep – are dark in coma patients while other areas inexplicably light up.

Myth: Headaches are in the brain – Headaches are thought to be caused by the tension and swelling of blood vessels of the brain. But there are no pain receptors in the brain itself. However, the meninges (covering around the brain), periosteum (covering on the bones), and the scalp have pain receptors. Headaches are actually caused by the tightening of the muscles in the neck and the head. Headaches may also be caused by an imbalance in serotonin levels. Serotonin is essential for regulating mood, sleep and blood vessel size.

Myth: The brains are biologically better suited for Math and Science, female brains are empathy – There are small anatomical differences between male and female brains. The hippocampus, involved in memory, is usually larger in women, while the amygdala, involved in emotion, is larger in men, which is quite contrary to the myth. Evidence suggests gender disparities are due to cultural expectations, not biology.

Myth: A person’s personality displays a right brain or left brain dominance – The two sides of the brain are intricately co-dependent. We often hear that one can be “right brained” or “left brained” and that those who favor the right are more creative or artistic and those who favor the left are more technical and logical. But brain scanning technology has revealed that the two hemispheres of the brain most often work together in complex processing. For example, language processing, once believed to be the provenance of the left hemisphere only, is now understood to take place in both hemispheres: the left side processes grammar and pronunciation while the right processes intonation.

The Human brain is the largest brain of all vertebrates relative to body size. It weighs about 1.5 kg. The cerebrum makes up 85% of the brain weight. Brain makes up about 2% of a person body weight. It contains about 100 Billion nerve cells. These neurons are connected by trillions of connections or synapses. It contains 1 Billion nerve fibers (axons and dendrites). At any given time, the brain can generate up to 25 watts of power. That’s enough to power a light bulb. Information can fly around your brain at 260 mph. A Human brain can have a storage capacity of anywhere between 3 terabytes and 1,000 terabytes.