12 Fascinating Facts You Didn’t Know About Your Brain

DALLAS (KDAF) — Did you know that the brain can’t actually feel pain? The organ responsible for keeping us alive can be a fascinating, somewhat creepy thing — here are 12 facts you probably don’t know about the brain, compiled by Ranker .

Chronic Stress Causes the Brain to Shrink

Release of the stress hormone cortisol may decrease the size and effective functioning of the brain’s neurons. PTSD and other issues of unresolved trauma often shrink the hippocampus, the area of the brain which forms new memories.

The Brain Needs Cholesterol to Survive

We’ve been programmed to think of cholesterol as a bad thing, but the link between cholesterol and health is one that has come under close scrutiny in recent years. One area where we know cholesterol is actually a good thing is in the relationship between fat and the brain. First of all, 25% of the cholesterol in your body is used by the brain, where, according to Dr. David Perlmutter , it aids in “membrane function, acts as an antioxidant, and serves as the raw material from which we are able to make things like progesterone, estrogen, cortisol, testosterone and even vitamin D.”

The Brain Can’t Feel Pain

he brain is the control center that processes pain, telling us when something is wrong or when we need to pay closer attention to a particular part of the body. Yet the brain itself is not capable of feeling pain because it has no pain receptors .

Your Brain Can Power a Dim Lightbulb

Despite all the remarkable things it does, the brain has a fairly low energy output. The average brain could power a dim light bulb of about 20 watts. One expert noted that “the energy consumed by the cortex is only enough to power 1% of its neurons at any time.”

Your Brain is Soft, Like Butter

Upon first glance, you might assume that the brain is firm and rubbery. In reality, it’s more malleable than that – much more malleable , almost the consistency of soft butter or Jell-O.

Your Brain is Mainly Fat

When you see an image of a brain, you will likely notice all the ridges and gentle peaks and valleys. This appearance gives the impression that the brain is more like a well-sculpted muscle than a big blob of fat – but it really is a big blob fat and not a muscle at all. The human brain is comprised of almost 60% fat , and it requires essential fatty acids from our diets in order to function.

Certain Foods Really are Brain Food

Specific foods have been shown to boost brain power and support better brain function. Adult brains still have the capacity to make new neurons, which are the foundations of learning, memory, and how our brains and bodies respond to stress. To foster the development of new neurons, incorporating brain-friendly foods into your diet can be a big help.

The Brain Isn’t Fully Formed Until Age 25

Our brains don’t stop forming once we reach puberty or hit our 18th birthday. The brain is still developing well into our 20s. This raises all sorts of interesting questions about what constitutes a mature brain and how biologically responsible a younger person is for immature or irresponsible behavior. In the words of Mental Health Daily : “The fact that our brains aren’t developed until the mid 20s means that ‘legal adults’ (those age 18+) are allowed to make adult decisions, without fully mature brains.”

The Brain Requires A Lot of Your Body’s Energy

our brain may not generate much energy, but it requires a lot of energy to function. In fact, it utilizes more energy than any other organ in the body; some figures suggest as much as 20% of the body’s energy resources are used to power the brain. Most of that energy goes to helping neurons fire signals, as well as to the healthy maintenance of brain cells.

You Use More of Your Brain Than You Might Think

There is a commonly accepted theory that we only use 10% of our brains. This often-cited statistic, however, couldn’t be more wrong . “It turns out… that we use virtually every part of the brain, and that [most of] the brain is active almost all the time,” neurologist Barry Gordon told Scientific American .

Exercise Gives the Brain a Beneficial Workout, Too

We all know that exercise is good for the body, but it can improve and sustain brain health, too. Specifically, it can benefit memory and thinking skills.

Your Brain Weighs Around 3 Pounds

As Shakespeare said, “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” This could easily describe the human brain , which weighs around 3 pounds and makes up just 2% of our total body weight. The average brain is 140 millimeters wide and 167 long. While these numbers may show just how small our brains are physically, we still have the largest brains in relation to body size compared to any other mammal.

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