March 13, 2007

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Be Aware: It's Brain Awareness Week

As we take some time to consider the human brain this week, rest assured that we use it all, not just the 10 percent of spurious claims.

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March 13, 2007 -- Be Aware: It's Brain Awareness Week

Were you aware of the fact that this is Brain Awareness Week?  A week to consider your brain, which is always considering you.  For lots of info about your brain this week, go to the brain awareness week section of the Dana Foundation’s website, www.dana.org/brainweek. 

We’ll spend the rest of this minute talking about that old claim that most people only use 10 percent of their brains.  For some reason, this oddball piece of crockery still gets some currency, often in ads congratulating you for using more than 10 percent because you’re going to buy a particular product.  Or for flim-flam artists’ systems to allegedly get you to use more of your brain. 

The University of Washington’s Eric Chudler developed the website “Neuroscience for Kids.”  (Just google Neuroscience for Kids to find it.)  On it he addresses the 10 percent myth.  He also notes that a devastating stroke usually damages far less than 90 percent of a human brain.  If we really only used 10 percent we should be able to function normally while stroking all over the place.  So keep using your head—all of it. 

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Be Aware: It's Brain Awareness Week