And that is why i asked....are all brains created equal and can they be trained to function equally if they are not.

Sorry I can't provide an absolute answer to your question, but I can only give you my opinion.

As someone has mentioned, neurons are unlike muscle cells that can regrow and replace itself.
But, will inactive neurons die off? That I'm not sure. (It'd be helpful if someone can provide some proof to this)

However, I know for a fact that if one sharpens his/her mind, the brain can be used more efficiently.
Practice makes perfect perhaps?

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This post has been edited by marsalee: Nov 10 2010, 05:10 PM

NEVER....

as baby maybe yes... during grow up period, the neurons in our brain are build up according to our environment.. what we engage daily.. and what we engage daily are different everyday...

some result from gene from parents plus experience of present moment.. that`s what an indivivual..

The part you mentioned about inactive neurons dying off is often referred to as "Use it or lose it".

This is why it's very very very very very important that you keep playing with your baby when he/she is born and keep introducing them to more and more challenging games and activities.

This is also why you must introduce your children to mathematics, language and music at a very early age because it helps the brain make all the important connections while it still can.

This is also why it's important to feed small children foods rich in Omega-3 oils (EPA and DHA) because these acids are important for developing neurons and the sad part is that our bodies can't generate it on its own.

And finally this is also why you must continue to challenge yourself with mathematics, sudoku and puzzles as you get older because it helps your brain maintain your neurons.

Further reading/references:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/...80207091859.htm
http://www.heall.com/healingnews/aug/brain_and_aging.html
http://www.newhorizons.org/neuro/diamond_use.htm
BBC Documentary: How to Improve Your Memory

Edit:
To answer TS's question, there's no real measure on how much of the brain we're using. The Einstein using 9% story is little more than an old wives tale, same as the story about Einstein proving his professor wrong about god... never happened.

The brain is not like a computer. The brain is like the internet. When you learn something new, your brain makes a new connection between a few neurons. As long as you keep using that new knowledge, that connection will remain and will become harder to break. But if you stop using that part, your brain will break that connection and the result is that you will forget.

So you want to use more of your brain? Do more varied things and keep on doing it every day forever.

This post has been edited by DeniseLau: Oct 12 2009, 11:03 PM

I think this is also one of the possible reason. Maybe when your brain usage passes certain limit, you will start to feel dizzy, headache, pass out or even die as long as you could force yourself to break that limit which is kinda impossible in my opinion. When you try to push your brain over a certain limit, your brain starts to warn you with the symptoms mentioned, making you weak and unable to continue.

It's like trying to choke oneself to death, you would pass out and breath reflexively before you are even dead.

I remembered reading an article that a Korean guy passed away after playing a computer game (It's Starcraft, I think) non-stop for >48 hours.

Everyone is not equal in the first place.

That's why no one alike with each others. Although some are influenced by latter stage development, some basic/factors are inheritance already.
Some are born to be taller, some are born to be shorter, some are born to be more talkative, some are born to be more artistic etc.

im just talking about the brain, bro. not personality and physical attributes.

Likewise, how the neurons are created aren't equal for everyone. For some unlucky ones, the neurons didn't develop, and hence became mentally challenged.

3-6% for thinking... other for background process... if wanna knoe, ctrl + alt + del, click at process tab.. u'll see wahts background process u r doing

thats just a myth..

The thing about this is, how did the idea of 3-6% of the brain being used, comes about?
For one, we can't determine which part of the brain will be functioning for what specific purpose.
I do remember there was a chart showing which part of the brain controls which function of the body, but I wasn't aware if there was any scientific backings to that.

I could be wrong, I'm open to ideas and further discussions.

The percentage rating of brain usage to me is a total nonsense. Those researchers who came up with that claims didn't really know what was going on also. If you do read up more about how the brain function, the brain is like a System Unit (a whole computer).

And inside a computer you have different parts like GPU, CPU, sound cards and stuff. Our brain has specific regions just for that specific job. Some people who suffer from certain brain disease, neurologist sometimes temporary disables certain part of the brain to identify the problem.

You can't rate the brain like say "oh, my brain only running at 6%". Cuz your brain is not just one big part itself, its multiple parts joined and working together; a component. So if some random guy comes saying, "my brain is running at 100%!". So he's saying that the speech control part is working non-stop, aka he won't stop talking. Imagine every part working at maximum, fear control and all those- the person will go kookoo. Feel scared, brave, funny, and everything at the same time.

And the thing about being smart, to me everyone is smart. But the question is, smart in which situation?
Some of us might be PC pros, but if we were sent for guerilla warfares, how good are we? The only time when one is not smart, maybe brain disablilities...

This post has been edited by kingster113: Oct 15 2009, 12:55 AM

Correct, exactly as what we've been discussing so far.

Perhaps the percentages quoted has already included everything u mentioned above, leaving roughly 90% + more of our brain yet to be explored.

XD Aha! How do we know that?
But it'd be wonderful if we can device a method to point out which section of the brain does what.

there are somethings in life, we just couldnt find answers for

why pigeons are able to find their way home, despite thousands of miles apart?

why the earth circles the sun in perfect timing/order, never missing its proper cycle?

why we are different from any other animals, despite all having brains?

or the ever question - why are we here?

We human are curious creatures. We'd seek answers to all questions.

For questions that we can't answer, there's religion.

wat...?? why...??? u wanna control ur heartbeat by urself...??? wanna control ur blood circulation by urself....??? wanna control ur digestion, immune system by urself....???

damn...if u can, then ure very, very, very, genius...