5 Busted Brain Myths from Yahoo News

True or false: The brain’s hippocampus contains an “Oprah neuron” that lights up when we see pictures of Ms. Winfrey or even hear her name. If you guessed “false,” check out British neuroscientist Rodrigo Quian Quiroga’s quirky research, which not only found specialized Oprah neurons, but also brain cells devoted to Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, basketball great Michael Jordan, and even Luke Skywalker. There was also a brain cell that preferred watching “The Simpsons” to Madonna and Quiroga, researchers found.

While the studies were small—one involved 7 epileptic patients with electrodes implanted in their brains to find cells that were triggering their seizures—the research offers an intriguing look at the mysteries hidden inside our brains, which contain more neurons than the galaxies in the known universe: about 100 billion on average, plus thousands of miles of nerves, packed into a space the size of a coconut. No two brains are alike—even those of identical twins. How much do you know about your most important organ?

Here’s a look at five common myths about the brain.

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