This is the single most complex structure in the entire universe,
or at least the most complex structure that we human beings have discovered.
It has 86 billion neurons and somewhere between 100 trillion
and some say as high as 1 quadrillion synapses,
which are the connections between neurons that use electrochemical energy
to excite, inhibit, and modulate the signals from the other
surrounding neurons These synapses use thousands of varying
types of molecules at different times in different quantities.
Sometimes working with or other times working against one another.
Scientists, philosophers, and just nerds like you and me
have been trying to understand the complexities of this organ
for a very long time,
at least since the time of the ancient Egyptians, if not earlier.
Yet somehow, someway in the relatively recent past,
the idea that we're only using 10% or so of this organ has become
common knowledge, despite it being nothing close to accurate.
In today's video, with the help of the cadavers here in
the lab, we're going to discuss how scientists know beyond a shadow of a doubt
that we are, in fact, using 100% of our brains.
It's going to be a thoughtful one.
Let's do this.
While the
ancient Egyptians and Greeks were the first to describe and hypothesize
about different areas of the brain, it wasn't until the 15 and 1600s
that our understanding of this delicate organ really started to take shape
with the idea that all of these folds that you can see here
were actually creating specific regions with unique functions.
In the 1800s, scientists such as Broca and Wernicke were able
to identify specific areas in the brain which were associated with language
and speech.
Such as — which is not going to come as any
surprise to you — this area here, which is known as Broca's area.
Except, these areas weren't just involved with the articulation of speech.
It's also the understanding as well as the writing down of language.
In 1909, Brodmann was the first to map the cerebral cortex,
and he did so utilizing variations in regional brain anatomy, developing
what are still used today, and you may have heard of called the Broadmann Areas.
In the 18 to 1900, scientists and researchers made significant headway
in our understanding of regional functionality
by studying brain pathologies and injuries.
Then, as surgical technologies and techniques
improved, our understanding of the brain improved as well.
Microsurgery allowed for minimally invasive
procedures to be performed as well as safe
and ethical experimentation with the various brain regions.
During surgery, the patient is awake, which allows surgeons
to ask questions to the patient and they are able to respond
in real time as these areas of the brain are being stimulated.
Patients will sometimes have seemingly random memories, smells, tastes,
sounds, can even hear just plain old music.
And this type of information has been extraordinarily useful from both
a clinical and research perspective.
But it was a development of neuroimaging that changed everything
because we could finally see in real time what was happening
deep inside of the patient's brain without having to surgically open them up
during various thoughts and Real quick, I want to thank the sponsor
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Neuroimaging comes in many different varieties,
but it can be broadly classified
into two categories: structural and functional imaging.
Structural imaging allows for a visualization and analysis of brain
anatomy, which is useful in detecting brain damage and abnormalities.
Some examples would be computed tomography or CT
scans and magnetic resonance imaging or MRI's.
Functional imaging, on the other
hand, is used to identify areas underlying brain processes
that are associated with performing a particular cognitive or behavioral task.
So some examples would be electroencephalography or EEG.
Positron emission tomography or PET scans.
Or functional magnetic resonance imaging or fMRIs.
Of particular interest to our conversation today
are the functional imaging techniques, Since they allow us to see various
regions of the brain being used in a variety of different ways.
An EEG detects the electrical activity of the brain,
specifically the electrical activity of everything you see here,
which is called the neocortex.
And this is just the tissue that's on the surface of the cerebrum.
This allows us to see the electrical activity during waking
hours, during sleeping hours, during a coma, and even under the varying
different types of anesthesia PET scans use radiological substances
to understand the metabolic processes of the brain.
Scientists and medical researchers are able to indirectly measure the blood
flow to the brain, which can vary depending on a variety of factors
such as neuro disease and even cognitive effort to an extent.
But cancer, Alzheimer's and even mood disorders
have all been better understood through the use of PET scans.
An fMRI is similar to PET scans in the sense that they both detect
blood flow to the brain, but different in the sense that fMRI utilizes
blood oxygenation levels to help determine brain activity.
While PET scans utilizes radiotracers
that emit positrons as they decay, which are then detected by the machine.
But regardless, fMRI is the most commonly used scanning technique in regards
to determining regional functionality, as well as brain mapping.
The point I'm trying to make here is that while these
are just a few examples
of the various neuroimaging techniques, scientists and medical professionals
have a really good idea by using them, which areas of the brain
are active throughout the day in both healthy and unhealthy conditions.
The verdict?
We use 100% of our brain.
Now we don't use all of it at once.
That's what we'd call a seizure.
However, as the day goes on, we will use each of the areas in our brain
to some capacity.
Now, to give you a quick example, competitive chess players
are likely to use more or certain, I should say, cognitive areas, more
so than I would be using them if I was just sitting on my couch watching Netflix.
But it's not as though
I don't use those same areas to some capacity throughout the day.
If we didn't use 100% of our brains, our body wouldn't
waste precious resources on sustaining useless tissue.
Neuroimaging scans would consistently show blank images, and neurosurgery
would be the most wildly inconsistent,
and inaccurate profession in all of medicine.
Better questions for us to be focusing
on are going to revolve around topics like neuroplasticity
or memories, in the sense of how are they stored, utilized and recalled.
In truth, the brain is incredible enough
without us propagating the nonsense of the 10% myth.
Thanks for watching everyone.
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