7 Amazing Facts About the Human Brain

Our brains are incredible living processors, working day and night to keep our bodies functioning and in touch with the world around us. Despite all they do, many of us take for granted how amazing our brains actually are. We’ve uncovered seven ridiculously cool facts that showcase the extraordinary human brain.

1. For Such a Small Organ, the Brain Uses A Lot of Energy

The human brain only weighs about 3.3 pounds, averaging about 2% of a person’s weight, and yet it uses an estimated 20% of the body’s energy intake. According to a Scientific American report, the brain needs a lot of fuel to power thought and numerous other functions — but it may also require a good portion of energy to metabolize waste and keep itself clean and maintained. As a result of this knowledge, researchers are investigating the ways that faulty brain metabolism may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.

2. The Brain is Influenced by the Gut

We think our brains rule everything, but it turns out, our guts have ultimate power over our brains. As bizarre as it may sound, a change in a person’s gut microbes can literally alter their outlook on life. A study published in Nature shows how certain types of bacteria can increase a person’s quality of life, while others can trigger depression and related mental health issues. Bottom line: A healthy gut means a happier person. So what's in charge now?

3. The Brain Can Be Greatly Affected by Perception

We’d all like to believe everything we see and hear is a clear reflection of reality, but the truth of the matter is, our perceptions can easily fail us. Optical illusions are a good example of how our brains can become confused and send us faulty information. But even without illusions or hallucinations, what we are seeing is as much or more a result of our past experiences than anything in front of us in the moment.

4. Individual as Fingerprints: Our Thought Patterns are Completely Unique

Our patterns of thinking are as unique as our fingerprints, or at least according to one study. fMRI scans showed that similarities do exist between the way individuals process information, but brains are each so distinctive that a person can be identified by their fMRI activity alone. This is regardless of whether they’re mentally engaged during the scan.

5. Brains Can Synchronize With Other Brains

Despite every brain functioning in its own set of patterns, brains can, and often do, synch up with other brains. For example, two people engaged in a conversation tend to fall into synchronized patterns. This can also occur among groups of people performing or listening to the same music.

6. Physical Exercise Improves Brain Health

We tend to think about losing weight or building muscle when we think about taking up an exercise routine. But there's far more than exercise does than burn calories. The brain is every bit as physical as the rest of the body, and it benefits from exercise in incredible ways. A recent study found that regular physical activity could slow brain aging and reduce issues that may contribute to Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases. Exercise also improves memory, cognitive function, pain levels and mood.

7. Memories Change Over Time

We’d all like to believe our memories are accurate depictions of the past, but they aren’t the picture-perfect recordings they feel like. Time, other experiences and even the very act of recalling an event can alter the memory in irreversible ways. This is called reconsolidation.

It may seem strange that our memories might shift over time, but this may be the brain’s attempt to keep events pieced together in ways that make sense, even as information changes over time. Pharmacological and behavioral interventions can also have profound effects on the stability of a given memory. Consider the way that EMDR therapy can help people with PTSD.

The human brain is unlike anything else in the natural world, and no two are exactly alike. And for all we know about it, so much remains an enigma. The facts listed above are just the tip of the iceberg. What other amazing pieces of info have we yet to discover?

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