Myths
About the 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 the
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.ET Magazine busts some of the
popular myths about the command centre of the human nervous system
MYTH
We use only 10% of our brains
FACT
This is one of the most popular
myths about brain. It can only be tracked down to the reserve energy theory by
Harvard psychologists William James and Boris Sidis. In the 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 it in terms of human potential —
implying that we have huge reserves of untapped mental powers.
MYTH
Brain damage is permanent
FACT
The brain can repair or compensate
for certain losses, and even generate new cells. Scientists believed 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
FACT
A study, led by researchers at the
Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, 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 neuroscientists agree there is no harm in the activity
but there’s no great benefit other than making you an expert in crossword
puzzles
MYTH
Being in a coma is like being
asleep: You wake up well rested
FACT
In the movies, coma looks
harmless. In real life, those emerging from coma often suffer disabilities and
need rehabilitation. Scientists at the French National Center for Scientific
Research, 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
A person's personality displays a
right-brain or left-brain dominance
FACT
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
favour the right are more creative or artistic and those who favour 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
MYTH
Male brains are biologically
better suited for math and science, female brains for empathy
FACT
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
Headaches are in the brain
FACT
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 (coverings around the
brain), periosteum (coverings 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.
ETM 3DEC17
No comments:
Post a Comment