How much of the brain do humans actually use?

Many people believe in the notion that humans only use 10% of their brain, but in reality, even when resting or sleeping, most of the brain is still active.

Most parts of the brain are active almost all the time. Photo: BlueBackIMAGE/Shutterstock — Most parts of the brain are active almost all the time. Photo: *BlueBackIMAGE/Shutterstock*

The brain, the most complex organ in the human body, is made up of three main regions: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brainstem. The brain regions work both independently and in coordination with each other to perform tasks. Therefore, depending on the task, the amount of brain used will change. Not all regions may be activated at all times, but that does not mean some parts are redundant, IFL Science reported on May 29.

“We use almost every part of our brain. Most of our brain is active almost all the time,” says neuroscientist Barry Gordon at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. In fact, over a 24-hour period, all areas of the brain are used. Even when we rest or sleep, most of our brain is active.

“Evidence shows that in a day, you use 100% of your brain,” says John Henley, a neuroscientist at the Mayo Clinic. However, this does not mean that if part of the brain is removed or damaged, people will not be able to perform daily tasks. “The brain has ways of compensating to make sure that the remaining parts take over,” Henley adds. This flexibility explains why some people with missing parts of the brain can still function and work.

Previously, many people believed that humans only use 10% of their brains. However, scientists have 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 does 10% refer to the number of brain cells? This is also incorrect, according to the BBC . When any nerve cells are about to become redundant, they will degenerate and die or be invaded by other nearby areas. The human body will not let brain cells wander around useless.

So, the 10% number is nonsense, according to neuroscientist Amy Reichelt. The brain makes up only 2% of the body's mass but uses 20% of its energy. So there's no reason to waste so much of the body's resources by feeding only 10% of the brain.

Thu Thao (According to IFL Science )

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