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7 Surprising Myths About the Brain
www.learningrx.com/katyThere's a lot of information on the internet about how the brain works. Some of it is accurate, some isn't, and the rest falls somewhere in between. Of course, as technology, medicine and our knowledge of the brain's plasticity grows, we learn more about what we can and can't control. Here are some of the myths about the brain that you may have picked up over the years, as well as why they're false.
- MYTH: You're either left-brained or right-brained.
While there are two sides to the brain, they are not truly separate but rather communicate with a constant traffic of neural messages. This long-standing myth has been debunked about creative people being "right-brained" and logical people being "left-brained." There is no evidence that people preferentially use one side of their brain more. In fact, most experts that creativity is more dependent on the ability to integrate information, not relegate it to one side of the brain.
- MYTH: Cognitive decline is not impacted by choices or circumstances.
We now understand that there are lots of things you can do that appear to fight cognitive decline: exercise, social interaction, good nutrition, brain stimulation and one-on-one brain training. Even those with age-related cognitive decline may be able to target and train weakened cognitive skills with customized personal cognitive skills training. With adults over 50, some of the most dramatic improvements from experiencing personal brain training are seen in working memory (also known as short-term memory), long-term memory, processing speed and IQ score.
- MYTH: IQ cannot be changed.
We now know the brain is "plastic," that is, capable of changing at any age. And since IQ is simply a measurement of cognitive skills, stronger abilities translate into higher IQ.
- MYTH: Brain size determines intelligence.
On average, the male brain is about 10 percent larger than the female brain, but it has nothing to do with intelligence. Again, intelligence is simply a measurement of brain skills.
- MYTH: Alcohol kills brain cells.
It's not that brain cells are being killed off by excessive alcohol consumption, it's that the dendrites (which help cells communicate) are being damaged.
- MYTH: Some people are just destined to be bad at math.
Struggles with math, called "dyscalculia," are often caused by weak cognitive skills, which can be trained. Brain training works on the skills needed to learn, process and recall math-related information, such as visual processing, working memory, and logic and reasoning.
- MYTH: Dyslexia is about reading letters backwards.
Dyslexia simply means "trouble with words" and even smart kids can be dyslexic. In people with dyslexia, the weakest cognitive skills are often phonemic awareness and auditory processing, although other areas may suffer as well. Personal brain training can target and train these weak skills.
LearningRx Katy is a brain training center offering individualized cognitive skills training that pairs students with brain trainers for mental exercises that are challenging yet enjoyable. Our programs are the culmination of over 35 years of development and testing and we've helped changed the lives of over 100,000 clients.
www.learningrx.com/katy