What percentage of the brain do we use?

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You have heard more than once that we use 10% of the brain. Have you considered if this is true? What percentage do we really use? We tell you how much we use and how to improve its capacity.

Currently, our brain is in fashion, both in research and dissemination. Thanks to this, investment in neuroscience is also growing. However, The passion for the brain also carries a series of risks, such as the spread of misconceptions or myths. An example of this is the idea about the percentage of the brain we use.

The most widespread neuromyth in the world is that we only use 10% of our brain.. This idea is mainly among the discourses of educators, publicists, parapsychologists, etc.

A neuroscience professional would never make such a statement. However, the underlying misconception is that through some techniques the percentage used can be increased, since the remaining 90% is free.

The myth

The idea that we only use 10% of our brain has been wrongly attributed to Albert Einstein. However, Its most probable origin dates back to research carried out in the 19th century.. In them, using the electroencephalogram, scientists could only find cognitive functions for 10% of the brain. On the other hand, it was also indicated that only that percentage of the brain was activated at a given time.

On the other hand, Neurons make up only 10% of the brain, while the rest is made up of glial cells.. These cells have a different function, although today we can know that they are also involved in learning processes.

Its expansion

Mostly, The idea has spread through popular knowledge and by people who have simply shared that hypothesis. Now, many subdisciplines have also used this argument as a basis to defend their ideas.

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For example, It is relatively easy to find advertisers who use the myth in advertisements and in their theories close to the neuromarketing. Also, followers of paranormal phenomena have appropriated this belief, defending that the percentage of the remaining brain is what allows, through training or extraordinary abilities, to perform telekinesis or have extrasensory experiences.

The reality of the percentage of the brain we use

Really, we use 100% of our brain. It is a very powerful organ, consuming 20% of the oxygen and 50% of the glucose that enter our body.

However, due to its functionality, it is impossible for us to significantly activate all areas at the same time. If we were able to use 100% of its capacity simultaneously, the energy expenditure would leave us very fatigued for the rest of the time..

On the other hand, today we know that, over the course of a day, or even a few hours, we face challenges or solve tasks that make us use almost all of its areas. Thanks to neuroimaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography and functional magnetic resonance, it has been observed that, Even when we sleep, all areas of the brain are activated.

Only when the brain suffers serious damage do some regions become “deactivated”, affecting performance and daily life. This phenomenon supports two ideas:

There are no areas that are injured that do not compromise the functioning of some skill or function. Therefore, our brain works as a whole, not just a small percentage.On the other hand, the brain is so powerful that, when an area is damaged, it makes neurons migrate to those regions to take advantage of the capacity. This also means that this capacity could even improve. For example, when a person loses their hearing, areas associated with vision have been seen to recruit part of the unused auditory region of the cortex, thereby improving the ability to read lips.

Evidence that we use our entire brain

Next, we will review some evidence that supports that we use our entire brain.

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Mental image

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) allows us to investigate how the brain works in a non-invasive way. These tests make it clear that the brain is functioning all the time. Researchers have not found any region of the brain that does not serve a function. A study of medical myths noted that “numerous types of brain imaging studies show that no area of the brain is completely silent or inactive.”

Brain damage

The consequences of damage to certain brain regions show how important all these parts are. There is not a single area of the brain that can be damaged without having some type of consequence.

brain size

Researchers have noted over the decades that our brains are larger than those of other animals, even our close relatives, the primates. We wouldn’t have developed such big brains if we were only using a small part of it.

How to improve brain capacity

There are different ways to improve brain function. Let’s look at some.

Eat healthy

Research suggests that certain micronutrients may play a role in brain health. Eating a diet rich in antioxidants, such as vitamin E and beta-carotene, can help protect against many chronic diseases and also promote a healthy brain (Cherry,2022).

Do exercise

Much research has shown that physical exercise can reverse some of the unwanted effects of a sedentary lifestyle and can delay brain aging and degenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Likewise, it improves cognitive processes and memory, has analgesic and antidepressant effects and even induces a feeling of well-being.

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In study it was found that Exercise-induced improvements in cognitive functions are correlated with neurogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and neurotrophins in the hippocampus.. Exercise has a positive influence on the aging brain with neurodegenerative disorders associated with cognitive decline.

Sleep

It has been shown that Sleep improves memory recovery, regulates metabolism and reduces mental fatigue. Sleeping a minimum of 7 hours a day appears to be necessary for adequate cognitive and behavioral function. Good sleep not only decreases stress and depression, but also prolongs alertness and memory recovery (Eugene and Masiak, 2015).

Use the whole brain

In closing, if the idea that we only use 10% of our brain could be a little hopeful regarding the possibility of improving our abilities, reality has nothing to envy.

Just because at a given moment we are not able to use 100% of our brain does not mean that we cannot improve our skills. In fact, Thanks to brain neuroplasticity, we can strengthen connections or create new neural networks. Through new learning, doing what you enjoy and having healthy habits, you can not only use 100% of your brain, but you can also take advantage of it 100%.