What Percentage Of The Brain Do We Use?

At present, our brain is fashionable, both in research and in popularization. As a result, investment in neuroscience is also growing. However, the passion for the brain also carries a number of risks, such as the spread of misconceptions or myths. An example of this is the idea about the percentage of the brain that we use.

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

Rarely will a neuroscience professional make such a claim. The underlying idea 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 the brain has been wrongly attributed to Albert Einstein. However, its most probable origin dates back to the investigations that were carried out in the 19th century.

In them, using the EEG, the 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 certain time.

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

Its expansion

For the most part, the idea has been spread by popular knowledge and by people who have simply shared that hypothesis. However, many sub-disciplines have also used this argument as a basis to defend their ideas.

For example, it is relatively easy to find advertisers who use the myth in advertisements and in their theories close to  neuromarketing. Also, followers of paranormal phenomena have appropriated it, 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

We actually 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.

By contrast, 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 imaging, it has been observed that, even when we sleep, all areas of the brain are activated.

Only when the brain is severely damaged do some regions “turn off”, affecting performance and daily life. This phenomenon supports two ideas:

• There are no areas that are injured and that do not compromise the functioning of any skill or function. Therefore, not only one part of our brain works.
• 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 hearing, areas associated with vision have been seen to recruit part of the auditory region of the cortex that has become unused, thus enhancing the ability to read lips.

Use the whole brain

If the idea that we use only 10% of our brain could be a little hopeful in terms of the possibility of improving our abilities, reality does not have much to envy.

That at a certain moment we are not able to use 100% of the 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, not only can you use 100% of your brain, but you can also take advantage of it 100%.