People only use about 10% of their brains, right? You’ve probably heard this notion from plenty of trusted sources, perhaps even your high school science teacher. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive, about 65% of Americans believe this “fact” – even though it couldn’t be further from the truth. While researchers are not entirely sure where this myth came from, some attribute it to American psychologist William James or even a misquoting of Albert Einstein.

In reality, people use virtually 100% of their brains, as proven by brain imaging technology, though not all brain regions are active simultaneously. Over the course of one day, however, you’ll end up using just about every last bit of your gray matter. The survey was sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, which raises funds for Parkinson’s research.

Brain Diseases More Common Than Believed

The survey was relatively small at 2,000 individuals, but it was still enough to glean some surprising findings about American perceptions regarding brain diseases and the workings of the brain itself. The average respondent to the survey believed that a brain disease would befall about 36% of Americans during their lifetimes, when in reality this is true of about 60% of Americans.

In addition, about 71% of survey takers believed that men and women are equally likely to develop a brain disease. The truth is that brain disease risk varies among the genders, with men being more prone to Parkinson’s disease and women being more prone to multiple sclerosis, according to various studies.

According to The Michael J. Fox Foundation, about 95% of Parkinson’s patients lose at least some of their sense of smell by the time they’re diagnosed, and loss of this sense is tied with virtually every known brain disease. However, less than half of survey respondents knew this.

Can You Help Cure Brain Diseases?

Interestingly, the survey also asked respondents whether they felt they could personally contribute to finding a cure for brain diseases. Only 31% of those polled said they could. But Michael J. Fox Foundation co-founder Deborah W. Brooks said that there are several ways in which individuals can contribute to the search for brain disease cures. In fact, Brooks said the act of taking a survey about brain diseases is, in itself, a small but meaningful contribution toward brain disease research. Other ways for people to help include submitting a saliva or blood sample for genetic testing, joining clinical studies or, of course, making a monetary contribution to a valid research fund.

The Bottom Line

The majority of Americans are misinformed when it comes to the brain and brain diseases, according to a recent survey distributed by a non-profit organization. There are many ways that regular people can contribute to finding a cure for brain diseases, which strike well over half of Americans during their lifetimes, according to those behind the survey.