Is it true that we only use 10% of our brain?
Nope! The myth that humans only use 10% of their brain is
completely false and has no basis in science. In fact, we are using most
of our brains almost all the time. The brain has distinct regions that
specialize in different functions.
The brain stem controls things like your breathing rate, your
temperature, your heart rate, and other basic functions that keep you
alive. The brain stem is one of the most basic and critical regions
because you absolutely cannot live without it. Injuries to the brainstem
are often deadly. As long as you’re alive, your brainstem is working.
Your occipital lobe is functioning anytime your eyes are open.
Whether or not you think that you are thinking about what you see,
your brain takes in the light and processes your surroundings so that
you can formulate a behaviorally appropriate response with
collaborating brain regions. Some research even suggests the occipital
lobe conjures memories of things you saw in order to illustrate your
dreams while you sleep.
The cerebellum works nonstop every time you stand up, move, sit
down, run, walk, exercise, dance, or do anything that requires new
movement or balance. Sound like a full–time job? It is! If you had no
cerebellum, it would be incredibly difficult for you to learn to walk
and balance. Last year, a woman living in Asia was found who was born
without a cerebellum. This woman could not learn to walk until around
age 9, and had great difficulty moving her mouth correctly to form
speech patterns. Even as an adult, she is wobbly and unstable when she
walks. You can live without a cerebellum, but it won’t be easy.
The frontal hemispheres are the largest portions of the brain. They
are more complex in humans than in any other species. The frontal
hemispheres allow us to plan, make decisions, think about complex
ideas, deal with other people, respond appropriately to our everyday
lives, speak, understand, listen, and more. If your frontal hemispheres
took time off, you would basically be a vegetable.
These four brain regions, along with the rest of the brain, work
nonstop to keep you living your life as a fully–functional human.