Neuromyth

Debunked: The 10 Percent Brain Myth

  • Published19 Jun 2019
  • Source BrainFacts/SfN

Don’t let the movies fool you. Neuroscientist Nick Spitzer debunks the myth that people only use 10 percent of their brains.

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BrainFacts/SfN

Nick Spitzer: My Name is Nick Spitzer, I’m the Atkinson Family Distinguished Professor at the University of California San Diego.

Screen Text: Do we really use only 10 percent of our brain?

Nick Spitzer: There are, unfortunately, many misconceptions that the general public has about the brain. So, for example, many people think that we only use 10 percent of our brain. And this is wrong. We use all of our brain. A recent movie came out, I think it was Lucy, who was able to call on that residual 90 percent of her brain. It made great film, but it’s a total put-on. It’s just, that’s just not the case.

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