How much does the human brain work? Find out how many percent of the brain a person uses

Scientists have tried for a very long time to find out how much the human brain works. These searches more than once led to all sorts of misconceptions and false theories. Some researchers claim that a person uses the brain for only one percent of the available potential, others give 15-20 percent. Ordinary people start to object and note that their brain works everywhere and always, providing breathing, a heart rhythm and much more. Of course, this is so. But, speaking about how many percent the human brain works , scientists mean hidden potential and intellectual potential.

A little anatomy

The CNS includes the brain and spinal cord, which in turn are represented by two kinds of cells: neurons and gliocytes. Neurons act as the main carriers of information, receive input signals through dendrites resembling tree branches, and send output signals over axons similar to cables. Each neuron includes up to ten thousand dendrites and only one axon. But axons can be a thousand times longer than the neurons themselves: up to four and a half meters. The areas where dendrites and axons meet are called synapses. This is something like a tumbler, connecting the neurons among themselves and turning the brain into a single network. It is in the synapses that electrical impulses are transformed into chemical signals.

Gliocytes are human brain cells that serve as a framework structure, they play the role of cleaners, eliminate dead neurons. In total, gliocytes are fifty times larger than neurons. Features of the human brain are such that in it simultaneously there are up to two hundred billion neurons, five million kilometers of axons, one quadrillion of synapses. The number of options for the exchange of information exceeds the content of atoms in the universe. Indeed, the potential is unlimited. Why then do we only engage the brain in such a small degree? Let's try to understand.

Load Level

Let us give an example. Let's say a graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics and a thirty-year-old alcoholic were given the same task: multiply 63 by 58. The action is quite simple, but which of them will involve a greater percentage of the brain for its implementation? No wonder that the second. And why? Because the mathematician is smarter? Not at all. Simply, he is more trained in this matter, and to solve the example he needs much less workload. However, initially, both one and the second person have approximately equal opportunities . And the number of neurons in them is also approximately the same. The difference is only in the number of interrelations between them, but, as you know, the broken connections can be restored and even new ones can be created. Therefore, the alcoholic has opportunities for intellectual growth, of course.

Experiments on monkeys

Michael Mezernich, a university professor from San Francisco who is interested in how much the human brain works, conducted several experiments on monkeys. He planted the animals in cages, and outside of them placed containers with bananas. While the primates tried to get the fruit, Mezernich took computer pictures of their brain. He found that as the skills of monkeys developed, so did the area of the part of the brain that provided the task. As soon as the animals were able to fully master the technique and easily extract bananas, the examined area of the brain acquired the same size. Thus, the connections of the neurons became stronger, and the reactions began to flow without any effort, automatically. And this immediately opened the potential for even greater growth.

Extreme situations

How many percent of the brain does a person use while in an extreme situation? No one will say the exact figure, but it is known that in this case the speed of perception is growing at a fantastic rate. Some people who survived the catastrophe noted what they felt when they were in danger, that time seemed to stop, and this gave them the opportunity to maneuver. It would be nice if such an ability was inherent in everyday life, and not only during a period of great upheaval. But is it possible? If possible, it is extremely dangerous. Just imagine how much energy the brain needs in this state!

Mystical Abilities

There are people who move things by force of thought, rotate the hands on the clock, scatter the laser beams and the like. Surely many have heard of such magicians and sorcerers. Who are they - superhumans or mystifiers? And maybe, each of us has such abilities, they just doze? Perhaps nature deliberately restricts us, keeping a reserve for some unforeseen event. The important thing is not how much the human brain works, but how we spend the intellect. The more intelligent people are, the more they seek to satisfy their selfish needs. So, Hitler was a very gifted person, but what came of it? The sea of tears, the oceans of blood. Let us cite as an example other geniuses: Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci. In their life they achieved a lot, but we know that they were greedy, selfish and power-hungry. Given to some of them in the hands of power, perhaps the consequences would be the same.

How much percent of the brain does a person use

If people do not change internally, do not grow spiritually, they can not use their hidden abilities either. So after all, what percentage of the brain does a person use? To satisfy animal instincts, we will have three percent. In order to be able to provide yourself with food - two more. For the formation of communication skills , five percent is enough, as much is required for the learning process. Here, in general, that's all! Dark storehouses of the brain can open up to us only if we seek more, develop cognitive abilities, solve logical problems and puzzles, learn the world and improve ourselves as a person.

How the brain works

The number of neurons in the brain of a newborn child is greater than that of an adult. However, there is almost no connection between the cells, so the baby can not use his brain competently. Initially, the newborn almost does not hear and does not see. Even if the retinal neurons feel light, they can not transmit information to the cerebral cortex, because they have not yet formed connections with other neurons. That is, eyes see the light, but the brain does not perceive it. Gradually, the necessary connections are formed, the part of the brain interacting with the vision activates the work, as a result the child begins to see the light, then - the silhouettes of objects, colors, shades and so on. But the most surprising is that such connections can only be formed in childhood.

Development of skills and abilities

For example, when a child could not see anything at an early age due to congenital cataracts, even if he was already in an adult state to undergo an operation, he would still be blind. This is confirmed by the cruel experiments conducted on kittens. They were sewn up with their eyes when they only appeared in the light, and they removed sutures already in adulthood. Despite the fact that the eyes of the animals were healthy and saw the light, they remained blind. The same applies to hearing and, to a certain extent, to other abilities: touch, taste, smell, speech, reading, orientation in space, and so on. An excellent example is the Mowgli children brought up by animals in the forest. Since in their childhood they did not train the ability to speak, at an adult age they will not be able to master human speech. But they can navigate in space in a way that none of the people who grew up in civilization can.

How to improve the efficiency of the brain

From all of the above, it can be concluded that how much the brain works depends on the degree of its training. The more the brain is loaded, the more effectively it functions. Moreover, in children it is more receptive and flexible, so it is easier for them to adapt to a new situation, for example, to master a computer program, to learn a foreign language. By the way, you never know how the skill acquired in childhood will manifest itself. For example, a person who, while a child, was engaged in modeling, drawing, knitting, any kind of needlework and thus trained in fine motor skills, has all the chances to become an excellent surgeon and can easily perform precise, filigree operations in which any wrong movement Can lead to failure. That's why the brain should be trained from childhood. And then any great discoveries will be possible!