Myths of the Mind: 20 Years After the Decade of the Brain

Did you know it has been 20 years since the decade of the brain? The Decade of the Brain, from 1990–1999, was an initiative by the National Institute of Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health “to enhance public awareness of the benefits to be derived from brain research.”

During this decade and since, understanding of the brain advanced. Before, we thought that the adult brain stopped growing and changing after its initial development. In the time since, people have come to understand the brain is much more adaptable to the environment around it and that neurons can change and grow.

Technology has grown my leaps and bounds, allowing scientists to study what was before unknown. All of this, has changed what we thought about the brain. As such, what was once common knowledge is starting to become myths of the past. Following are just a few of the myths of the brain that scientists have uncovered since the Decade of the Brain.

Brain Myth 1: People learn best when they are taught according to their preferred learning style

Though researchers did find that these three types of learning are located in different parts of the brain, it was assumed that they were separate. They are actually highly…