The Brain is an Energy Hog

I have been becoming more aware of caring for my brain. I have become kind of attached to it. I spent a lot of time recreationally partying and taking my brain for granted. Sorry old chap.

Jobs are radically changing. People are getting fired. Robots are the new middle class. Now that we are all competing with artificial intelligence and robots, its time to take the care and feeding of our brains more seriously. Here are some tidbits I have picked up.

The brain is an energy hog. Our brains consume around ten times more energy by weight than the rest of the body. Diet is important for optimal cognitive function.

Computers can outperform us in analytical areas such as chess or mathematics. However, many bodily processes like our senses are incredibly complex and still beyond the capability of the world’s most powerful computers.

Despite the power and capabilities of the human brain, we do not understand how it works very well.

Neuroscientists use brain imaging techniques to study the brain and its activity. Neuroscience is also of great importance to psychology, given the influence of the unconscious mind on our motivations, thought processes, memory, and emotions. For example, such imaging has ascertained that correlated brain regions are most active when the subject is resting. Conversely, others regions ‘switch off’ in the resting state are most active when the subject is interacting with the world.

A synapse is a single connection between neurons and can be imaged. Indeed, memories are stored in the mass, on the order of 10 ¹⁴, of synapses in the brain. Brain research has established that the brain is plastic and can change. Brain connectivity is dynamic and continues to be so even after it matures. There is a continual turnover of synapses forming and disappearing in an ever-changing neural environment. It begs the question, how do memories remain stable over the years?

Here’s an interesting thought: you’re technically not the same person you were after a night’s sleep or even a nap due to this upgrading process of the brain through the formation of new synapses. Take advantage of sleep and your unconscious mind. Prime yourself to assimilate information and solve problems more efficiently.

The path to success is the continuous pursuit of knowledge.
Success is the product of accumulative advantage.

Use your brain.

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