What Percentage of the Human Brain is Actually Used?

Hemispherectomy | Surgical procedure where one cerebral hemisphere (half of the brain) is removed or disabled. This procedure is used to treat a variety of seizure disorders where the source of the epilepsy is localized to a broad area of a single hemisphere of the brain. It is solely reserved for extreme cases in which the seizures have not responded to medications and other less invasive surgeries.

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What does this mean for the theory of Right-Brain vs. Left=Brain thinkers?

right autistic brain thinking prodigy genius labotomy savant left

asked Jun 09 '10 at 17:42

r0bErT4u
31.0k●513●672●938

edited Sep 21 '11 at 10:05

This is a question that has intrigued me for years.

(Sep 21 '11 at 22:22) wordkev

when you say left brain thinker it doesn't mean that you use ONLY the left hemisphere to think! hahahha Medical science will never agree to that! you make me laugh!!

by left brain thinker. it only means that one is dominant than the other. however, the brain can use either of the two to perform a task.

(Sep 22 '11 at 11:47) xedric14

9 Answers:

oldest newest most voted

The "We only use 10% of our brain" thing is a very common myth. We use the whole thing. Each part handles different functions: Movement, emotions, thoughts, memories, etc. All of these things require much more than 10% of our brain.

As a species evolved as much as we are, do you really think that we would have 90% of nothing? No.

answered Dec 09 '10 at 20:43

Justin
8.4k●104●143●222

To add to that, at any given point, even while idle, we are using about 16% at a time. But, yes, we do get around to using all of it at one point or another, and can get up to the lower 30's when doing very complex things.

(Dec 12 '10 at 09:40) Eric Fox

Most people use about 7-9% of their brain. Theoretically, the brain is like 400 Terabytes large or something...so it can store a lot of things. However, we don't have that much things to remember...Anything over 10% is very rare.

answered Jun 09 '10 at 17:47

CharlesYin96
4.7k●22●71●185

lol, I would be using like 5% of my brain then...

(Jun 09 '10 at 17:48) stargazer

Where on earth did you get that from?

(Dec 12 '10 at 11:58) Mattophobia ♦♦

90% of people use statistics for 63% of the year. 100% of them are wrong 80% of the time.

(Sep 26 '11 at 22:03) MacManDerek

Mythbusters tested that myth and they determined that you use about 30% of you brain.

answered Dec 09 '10 at 21:37

xl100
61●1●4

I didn't watch that episode, but I bet they tried to C4 their way through the other 70%.

(Sep 21 '11 at 10:26) Billy Aoki

myth busters is a myth itself. it's a TV show after all - not a study; and if you're really a science enthusiast? you'd prefer that than a cable TV program

(Sep 21 '11 at 16:51) xedric14

They do use the scientific method though. They go about answering their questions as scientifically as possible. I have a lot of respect for what they accomplish with the limited budget they have to work with.

(Sep 26 '11 at 22:05) MacManDerek

3	We use 100% of our brain. Regardless of if we know it or not. All the "You only use 10% of your brain" stuff is bullshit. This is the brain, we use every single part. answered Dec 09 '10 at 23:02 Mattophobia ♦♦ 7.0k●73●122●206

3	There are some people that don't use it at all - all extremists (political, religious, whatever) and most politicians. answered Sep 21 '11 at 10:32 Ed Russell 46●1●2 especially every member of the tea party (Sep 22 '11 at 20:59) Chuckys Child

2	I'm pretty sure I know a few people who rarely use their brain at all ... ;-) answered Sep 22 '11 at 07:00 Aberis 136●2●3●8

Actually most people utilise 37.5% of the neurological network. The rest of the amorphous mass is like engine oil and sort of keeps the thing working. Politicians are a different matter - they are a rare example and use about 75% of the neurological network. The advantage of this is that they have a lot of brain activity. The downside is the two halves work in opposition and the result is a very active but totally useless brain. Also and incidentally moral judgement can be controlled by magnetism which is why judges wear wigs to hide their magnets.

answered Dec 10 '10 at 08:30

samspruce
16●1

"the amorphous mass is like engine oil and sort of keeps the thing working" by saying that it means you are using it already, so why subtract it from 100? if it's really no use, your brain will work without it. wanna give it a try?

(Sep 21 '11 at 16:48) xedric14

We actively use around 7-15% of our brain. We do use all of our brain at one point or another, just not at the same time. That's why you can't multi-task and do multiple jobs perfectly and simultaneously.

answered Dec 09 '10 at 20:45

Nomad
511●3●7●20

edited Dec 09 '10 at 20:46

Hi Doc, what's your reference?

(Sep 21 '11 at 16:49) xedric14

First things first, what do you mean by USE? define what you are talking about. If by use you mean carry / produce an electrical charge (as it is the one measurable): If one uses his brain at 100% level, he'd be literally having a seizure attack! in fact, that's the nearest definition!

it's like a muscle, you can't contract both you biceps and triceps when you want to flex your arms right?

so go, use your brain at 100% percent level and be at PEACE. :D

answered Sep 21 '11 at 16:46

xedric14
941●72●77●90

Hello Doctor, what are your references?

(Sep 26 '11 at 22:08) MacManDerek

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