The brain is the set of organs that underlies thoughts and emotions; without it, the human mind simply would not exist.
However, despite the fact that everything we consciously experience is firsthand thanks to the brain, we know very little about this structure of the human body. Its complexity and the speed with which it performs its work make it almost impossible to know in detail what is happening inside it at any given moment. This is partly why it is one of the most mysterious anatomical structures.
We present you some interesting facts about the brain that help us get an idea of how surprising it can be.
1. 60% of this is fat
As incredible as it may seem, most of the brain is made up of fat. Specifically, most of this fat accumulates in what are known as myelin sheaths, which cover a part of neurons known as axons to speed up the electrical impulses these cells transmit.
2. It has no pain receptors
The brain is full of nerve fibers, but It is insensitive to pain unless this "signal" reaches it from other parts of the body. This means that, following certain procedures, it is possible to expose it in operations while the person is conscious; in these cases, it is possible to cut away a small portion of the cerebral cortex, and the patient need not notice anything.
3. It can adapt to the disappearance of one of its parts
The brain is a set of organs that It has a remarkable ability to adapt to injury, given the importance of the functions it performs. This has led to some people losing practically half of their brain, yet surviving. When something like this happens, the healthy parts "learn" to perform many of the tasks previously performed by the parts that have died or been removed.
4. It never stops working
The brain literally never stops being activated. It doesn't stop even when we sleep or when we lose consciousness. due to a blow or illness. One of the brain's curious features is that its work rate adapts to the needs of the moment, but the only time it stops is when you die.
5. There is a part of the brain dedicated to recognizing faces
Instant facial recognition is one of the most defining characteristics of human beings, and it facilitates social relationships in a species as gregarious as ours. It's a skill we enjoy thanks to a part of the cerebral cortex called the fusiform gyrus, which is also activated when we see face-like shapes in what is known as pareidolias.
6. We lose neural connections
When we are born, each of our neurons is, on average, more connected to its neighbors than when we are adults. This means that Over time, interconnections are lost, probably due to lack of use, while the most useful ones are retained.
7. Brain injuries alter our personality
It has been proven that certain brain injuries cause a person to shift from one personality type to another. For example, damage to certain parts of the frontal lobe leads to disinhibition and aggression.
8. The brain is in suspension
The human brain is "floating" in a liquid that surrounds it and carries its inner ventricles: this is the Cerebrospinal fluid. This substance provides extra protection for the brain against impacts, so that it doesn't bounce off the hard parts of the skull as much as possible.
9. The number of neurons in the brain is incredible
There are about 80 billion neurons in the brain. Different parts of the brain have higher concentrations of these neurons. For example, the cerebellum It is known for hosting a high density of neurons.
10. Brain activation is influenced by light exposure
The human brain It is sensitive to the amount of light to which we are exposed, and uses this type of stimulus to regulate the biological clock. which is why we are more active at certain times of the day than at others. Specifically, it secretes larger amounts of a substance called melatonin when we have been exposed to less light for hours, and this molecule is linked to the desire to sleep.
