12 curiosities about the human mind

Although research is progressing rapidly, especially in the field of neurosciences, and each As we know more about everything, it is a reality that the human mind continues to be a great unknown.

However, there is a lot of knowledge that has been coming to light on this subject. In this article you will find some curiosities about the human mind, related to topics as diverse as: dreams, neurons, the brain, memories, happiness... Don't miss it!

• Related article: "Cognitive biases: discovering an interesting psychological effect"

Curiosities about the human mind

When we talk about the human mind, in reality a huge range of many more intrinsic things opens up to us. her: behavior, thought, well-being, relationships, dreams, habits, the brain... That is, behind the concept of "the human mind" there are many interesting aspects to know, since the mind is a system as complex as it is wonderful.

Our mind allows us to adapt to the environment, survive, fight, think, relate, get excited, build, solve problems... although it also presents his "traps" and can play tricks on us, since it is something very powerful, which we can learn to master over time (or at least, a part of she).

Here, then, you will find some of the curiosities about the human mind, but there are many more.

1. Mirror neurons

The first of the curiosities about the human mind that we are going to talk about has to do with the brain. Neurons, called “mirror neurons,” have been discovered in human (and animal) brains that They are activated when we perform an action that we observe that another person also performs.

These neurons allow us to explain, for example, that we can physically feel damage (for example, a blow) that they do to another person, if we are very emotionally connected with them.

2. The adictions

It has been shown that the brain mechanisms that act in different types of addictions, such as addiction to video games, shopping, alcohol... are the same as those that act on drug addictions (for example, heroin).

Among the structures that are activated, we find the brain's reward circuit, called the ventral tegmental area (VTA). In this structure and in others, there is a great synthesis and transmission of dopamine, which makes the person feel excited before the consumption of their particular “drug”.

3. We improve monotonous stories

Another curiosity about the human mind is that people we tend to improve stories that we find boring.

This was evidenced in a series of investigations carried out by the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology of the University of Glasgow, where it was found that people who listened to monotonous or boring stories, tended to make them more appealing by rewriting or retelling them (their mind "reworked" them by making them more interesting).

4. The happiness of contributing

The psychologists Elizabeth Dunn and Michael Norton, through their studies, demonstrated how spending money on others (especially on people we appreciate), produces a feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment greater than if we were spending it on ourselves. All this is explained by these authors in their book Happy Money. The Science of Happier Spending.

5. The inheritance of phobias

The next curiosity about the human mind that we are going to discuss has to do with phobias. And it is that, it has been shown how in its transmission, genetics may be involved.

This is especially the case with blood / injection / wound phobia; that is, if our parents (or one of them) suffers from it, it is likely that we also (it can also be that we "inherit" a genetic predisposition that, added to other factors, increases the probability of suffering from it).

• You may be interested: "Types of Phobias: Exploring Fear Disorders"

6. Dreams: the great mystery

Dreams are another of the great curiosities about the human mind. All people, to a greater or lesser extent, dream (and it is believed that, every night). What happens is that not all of us remember dreams when we wake up. Also, if we remember them when we wake up but do not mentally review or write them down, we are more likely to forget them.

On the other hand, it is known that dreams generally have a psychological meaning, which has to do with all that material repressed, desired, censored, etc., that we "veto", unconsciously, when we are awake.

7. Memories

Another curious fact about the human mind, according to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, is that, when we remember something, it is not that we remember that particular eventInstead, we actually remember the last time we remembered that event or moment.

8. The phantom limb

Many people who have lost a part of their body as a result of an amputation suffer from the so-called “phantom limb syndrome”. This syndrome It implies that the person feels that said part of the body is still there; what's moreThis sensation is linked to others such as a sensation of cold, pressure, heat, pain, etc., in that area or part of the body that you no longer really have.

Experts believe that this has to do with the spinal cord still sending messages to the brain.

9. The mistery of the conscience

Consciousness remains an unsolved mystery, which fields such as neurosciences, psychology, psychiatry, philosophy, etc., have been trying to unravel for years.

What is consciousness? How do we access it? Is it possible to really know it? Can it be investigated? Do people in a coma have it? There are many questions in relation to it, and also the theories raised, but it is likely to remain a mystery for many years. What is clear is that it will continue to be one of the great curiosities about the human mind.

10. The reproduction of neurons

Brain cells do not reproduce, or so it was believed until recently. However, the investigations provided data to the contrary, and at the moment, according to the studies, some of the brain cells that reproduce are neurons located in the hippocampus (a structure related to memory and memories).

11. The plasticity of the brain

The human brain is plastic, that is, it has plasticity. Brain or neuronal plasticity (neuroplasticity) is the ability of brain neurons to regenerate anatomically and functionally, forming new synaptic connections, depending on the learning, the needs and the demands of the environment.

This plasticity, yes, it decreases over the years; in childhood it is the more plastic our brain is.

• You may be interested: "Brain plasticity (or neuroplasticity): what is it?"

12. Critical periods

In relation to the previous point, we find another of the curiosities about the human mind, and that has to do with the periods in which the brain is more plastic and efficient in consolidating certain learning.

That is, in childhood there are a series of "critical periods" where the child "must" learn a series of things (for example, language), which Failure to do so at that time becomes more difficult later on (because the brain loses its ability to adapt, restructure and regenerate).

Bibliographic references:

• Chant, I. (2012). You Remember That Wrong: Brain Distorts Memories Every Time It Recalls Them.
• Dunn, E. & Norton, M. (2014). Happy Money. The Science of Happier Spending. Browse Related Books.
• Garcia, E. (2008). Neuropsychology and education. From mirror neurons to the theory of mind. Journal of Psychology and Education, 1 (3): 69-89.
• Gerrig, R.J. and Zimbardo, P.G. (2005). Psychology and life. Pearson Education of Mexico.
• Hernández-Muela, S. Mulas, F. and Mattos, L. (2004). Functional neural plasticity. Rev Neurol.