1 – Your brain never stops changing
It used to be believed that once we reach adulthood, new neuronal connections were not possible. Now, we know that our brains do change over time through experiences by a process called Neuroplasticity. When we learn new things, our brains start making new connections to reinforce learning and make it permanent. In fact, you make new connections every time you make a long term memory.
2 – Brain cells DO regenerate
For many years we thought that once a brain cell died we lost it forever. Although the process is very slow compared to skin cell regeneration, brain cells do regenerate and replace dead cells.
3 – Your brain burns 25% of your daily energy requirements
Our brain is a vampire for energy. They weigh only 2% of our body, yet they use 25% of the oxygen and glucose in our bloodstream to function properly. It is not hard to believe it though, since our brains control EVERY SINGLE process of what we do. EVERYTHING!
4 – Your brain is not made of just neurons
Only 10% of our brain cells are actually neurons. The other 90 % of the brain are called glial cells and are responsible for the support, maintenance, detoxification and modulation of neuronal circuits.
5 – Female and Male brains are the same
Well not 100% the same but overall they are. There is no evidence that female brains or male brains are smarter, more productive or better at math. There are some obvious differences like hormonal balances and the way we process information but, overall, females and males are capable of the same tasks equally.
6 – Your brain feels no pain
Your brain is not equipped with pain receptors. This is why many open brain surgeries can be done with the patient fully awake. But what about headaches? A headache does not happen in your brain but in the areas that surround the brain. Most headaches happen in the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles. Sometime the muscles or blood vessels swell or tighten, putting pressure on them causing your headache.
7 – Your brain can light up a lightbulb
Brain cells communicate between them through electrical impulses. The sum of all these electrical surges in your brain add up to about 25 Watts of power. Enough to turn on a light bulb.
8 – We have about 70,000 thoughts at 260 mph every day!
Yes you read right. 70,000 thoughts go through our minds every day. Fortunately, we have very good systems in place to help us filter and organize all those thoughts to make sense of the world around us and make the right decisions.
9 – We process about 60 bits of information per second
It might not sound lit much, but, even at that speed, we are faster and better than any computer in the world. In fact our brain receives millions of bits of information per second but, thanks to our reticular activating system (RAS), which acts as a filter, we only process 50-60 bits. Imagine how crazy our brain would be if we had to process all that information at once?
10 – Teenagers brains aren’t fully formed
If you are worried about your teenager being stubborn or too distracted you can relax. Part of a teenager’s issues stem from the delay in brain development. Development of the frontal lobe, the area where decision making and judgment takes place, happens throughout adolescence. That explains why teenagers have a hard time making the right decisions, now doesn’t it? Our brains keep developing until we are 25 years old. And, remember from tip 1, they are constantly changing until we die.
Thank you for this great information.