American author Lowell Thomas wrote in 1936 in the introduction to Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People that would become an oft-repeated statement: “Professor William James of Harvard said that the average man develops only 10% of his latent mental capacity.” .

This idea took on a life of its own, and later some claimed that humans only use 10% of their brains. But is it true?

Although it remains uncertain whether Professor William James, considered the father of American psychology, was the author of this claim, there is no doubt that it is false. Of course, “we’re always using our whole brain,” Erin Hecht, an assistant professor of evolutionary neuroscience at Harvard University, told Live Science.

If you’re only using 10% of your brain, you’re probably using devices

“It’s such a ridiculous myth,” said Julie Fratantoni, a cognitive neuroscientist and chief operating officer of the BrainHealth Project at the University of Texas at Dallas.

First, the researcher isn’t even sure if the 10% refers to volume or something else: “Is the 10% energy metabolism? 10% electrical activity? Is it the blood oxygenation level?”

This myth is so common that students ask about it.

“In my classes, when someone brings up this myth, I say, if you’re only using 10 percent of your brain, you’re probably on (life support),” Hecht says.

Neurons are active all the time

She compared the activity of the brain to the work of the heart when the body is at rest; the heart continues to work even if it is not working at full capacity.

Also, the entire brain and its cells, called neurons, are always active, even just at a basic level.

“Neurons need to function at a certain baseline level to stay healthy,” she explains.

According to Fratantoni and Gecht, although the brain has distinct regions, the brain functions through multiple networks.

Thus, no region ever operates in isolation.

Fratantoni gave the example of a default mode network that engages multiple cognitive domains to process thinking and social interactions. But how do we know which parts of the brain are active?

When we practice a skill, our brain changes

The best tool for measuring brain activity is functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

This neuroimaging technique requires someone to lie in a tubular scanner while responding to various stimuli. The scanner measures changes in blood flow in the brain, which indicates an increase in energy consumption in different regions.

“The idea is that the parts of the brain that get more blood burn more energy and are therefore more functionally involved in what you’re thinking about,” Hecht explains.

Our brains use fewer resources for skills we know well. When we practice a skill, our brain changes in several observable ways.

First, according to Hecht, the brain tissue associated with the areas of this skill physically increases.

She says the researchers hypothesized that this increase could be due to neurons branching out to connect with neighboring neurons, or due to increased vascularization, which would promote more blood flow.

At the same time, the more the brain is trained in a certain skill, the more efficient it is and the less energy it needs.

“As you become more proficient at what you’re learning to do, less of the brain is involved,” Hecht said.

Do you even know what your ability is?

According to Fratantoni, mental energy, or the conscious effort expended on a task, is another effective way to measure personal brain use.

Since psychic energy cannot be scientifically tested, this measurement is quite subjective.

“I think the best way to think about it is to answer the question: Do you even know what your potential is?” says the researcher, meaning “What can you do to maximize your potential?”

According to Hecht, the answer is to diligently practice whatever skills you develop.

Finally, the idea of ​​using 10% of the brain is not only incorrect, but also irrelevant, says the researcher.

Hecht noted that after a debilitating injury or stroke, some people can redevelop their skills “with the help of other parts of the brain, sort of taking over the function” controlled by the affected area.

An incredibly plastic mind can rebuild itself when an area is lost or damaged, so what it represents 100% can change.

Even if part of the brain is damaged or removed, the human mind can find a way to function at full capacity, the researcher concluded. (News.ro)