Psychology Facts

▲ Facts About The Human Brain ▲

》The brain, situated within the skull, is the organ responsible for cognition, mental processes, and regulating the body's functions. It governs perception, ideas, thoughts, voluntary movements, and involuntary activities such as heart rate and digestion.

》It is a myth that humans only use 10% of our brain. We actually use all of it. We're even using more than 10 percent when we sleep.

》There are 100 billion neurons (nerve cells) in the brain, but they make up only 10 percent of the brain. These neurons branch out to 100 trillion-plus trigger points, forming what experts call a "neuron forest."

》The human brain is actually psychically unable to multitask, despite many people believing they can. When we think we're multitasking, we're actually context-switching.
That is, we're quickly switching back-and-forth between different tasks, rather than doing them at the same time.
The book Brain Rules explains how detrimental "multitasking" can be: Research shows your error rate goes up 50 percent and it takes you twice as long to do things

》According to Paul Reber, Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University, the human brain can store an estimated 2,500,000 gigabytes. That's equivalent to 300 years worth of TV shows.

》Scientists have found that you yawn for your brain to get more oxygen is untrue. It is, in fact, to cool your brain down

》The brain can't feel pain.
There are no pain receptors in the brain itself. But the meninges (coverings around the brain), periosteum (coverings on the bones), and the scalp all have pain receptors. Surgery can be done on the brain and technically the brain does not feel that pain.

》There's a reason the brain has been called a "random thought generator."
According to the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging at the University of Southern California, the average brain generates 48.6 thoughts per minute.
This adds up to a total of 70,000 thoughts per day.

》Memories start forming in the womb, as this is a critical time for brain development. Memory recall can occur as early as four months into pregnancy.

》Neurons travel 150 mph in the brain. Different types of neurons move at different speeds - for example, pain signals move much slower than other neurons.

》The Brain does more creative work when it's tired

》Exercise is just as good for your brain as it is for your body. It has been noted that exercise promotes the production of neurotrophins, leading to greater brain plasticity, and therefore, better memory and learning. In addition to neurotrophins, exercise also results in an increase in neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically serotonin and norepinephrine, which boost information processing and mood.

》 Every minute, 750-1,000 milliliters of blood flow through the brain

》Brain activity can power a small light bulb.
When you are awake, your brain generates about 12-25 watts of electricity – which is enough to power a small light bulb. The brain also works fast. The information going from your arms/legs to your brain travels at a speed of 150-260 miles per hour.

》Our brain size has fallen 10% in mass since we were hunter-gatherers.

》emotions drastically alter our brains. The chemical reactions stirred by feelings can be physically seen in brain scans and studies of gray matter.

》95 percent of all decisions take place in the subconscious mind. This means that the vast majority of our actions and behaviors occur due to brain activity that lies beyond our conscious awareness.

》When we learn something new, our brain forms new connections between neurons; this then increases visible gray matter in the brain.

》It isn't until about the age of 25 that the human brain reaches full maturity, sometimes believed to be around 23-24 for women

》Albert Einstein's brain weighed 2.71 pounds (1,230 grams) — 10% smaller than the average of 3 pounds (1,360 grams).
However, the neuron density of his brain was greater than average.

》Sleep is imperative.
Your body and brain require rest in order to function properly.
Judgement, memory, and reaction time can all be impaired when someone does not have enough sleep. This is due to the fact that sleep deprivation kills brain cells. Proper sleep is also essential for memory retention. During sleep, the brain accumulates all the memories from the day.