Learn About the Brain: How It Works, Grows, and Stays Healthy

In this article, we’ll explore how the brain works, grows, and stays healthy. We’ll also take a closer look at the different parts of the brain, how lifestyle choices impact brain function, and how diet and nutritional supplements can help support overall brain health.

Is the Brain a Muscle?

Although it’s often said that you can ‘exercise’ your brain like a muscle, the brain is not a muscle at all. Instead, it’s an organ made up of soft tissue, primarily neurons and glial cells.

Like muscles, the brain benefits from being ‘challenged’ — mental stimulation can help support cognitive function throughout life.

How Does the Brain Work?

The brain communicates through a network of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These neurons send messages to one another using electrical impulses and chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters. This rapid-fire messaging system allows us to think, learn, feel, and react.

What Is the Brain Made Of?

The brain is made up of approximately 75% water and is composed of grey matter and white matter. Grey matter contains most of the brain’s neuronal cell bodies and is involved in processing information. White matter is made up of nerve fibres that connect different parts of the brain and help transmit signals. The brain also contains other supporting cells, as well as blood vessels and fats (such as omega-3s).

What Part of the Brain Controls Memory?

The hippocampus, located deep within the temporal lobe, is the brain’s memory centre. It plays a vital role in forming, organising, and storing new memories.

It works closely with other structures, such as the amygdala (which helps attach emotional meaning to memories) and the prefrontal cortex (involved in short-term memory and decision-making).

What Part of the Brain Controls Movement?

Movement is coordinated by a network of brain regions, primarily the motor cortex and the cerebellum.

The motor cortex, located in the frontal lobe, initiates voluntary movement by sending signals to the muscles.

The cerebellum, found at the back of the brain, helps fine-tune those movements, ensuring balance and coordination.

What Part of the Brain Affects Emotions?

The limbic system is the brain’s emotional processing hub, with the amygdala playing a key role in recognising and responding to emotional stimuli. It helps process feelings like fear, pleasure, and anger.

The prefrontal cortex also contributes by regulating emotional responses and supporting decision-making and social behaviour.

Which Side of the Brain Is for Creativity?

You may have heard the theory that people are either ‘left-brained’ (logical) or ‘right-brained’ (creative), but modern neuroscience shows this is a myth. Both hemispheres work together to manage various tasks.

While some creative processes may involve the right hemisphere more heavily, things like logic, language, and imagination require contributions from both sides. Creativity is a whole-brain activity.

When Does the Brain Stop Developing?

The human brain goes through a series of developmental stages beginning in the womb and continuing into early adulthood. While early brain development is rapid in infancy and childhood, the brain doesn't fully mature until around the mid-20s.

The last part to develop is the prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and reasoning.

How Many Brain Cells Does a Human Have?

At birth, a human brain contains roughly 100 billion neurons. During early childhood, the brain forms trillions of synapses – the connections between neurons.

While some synaptic pruning occurs over time to make brain networks more efficient, adults still retain a vast number of neurons and connections. This dense and dynamic network allows the brain to adapt and learn throughout life.

How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain?

Alcohol can have both immediate and long-term effects on the brain. In the short term, it impairs communication between brain cells, affecting judgment, coordination, and memory.

Over time and with excessive consumption, alcohol can contribute to changes in brain structure and function, potentially impacting mood, memory, and cognitive health.

How Much of Our Brain Do We Use?

The idea that we only use 10% of our brain is a myth. In reality, nearly every part of the brain has a known function and is active at various times throughout the day. From controlling movement and processing emotions to storing memories and enabling speech, the entire brain works in harmony, just not all at once.

Do Brain Cells Regenerate?

For many years, scientists believed that brain cells could not regenerate. However, research has shown that certain areas of the brain, such as the hippocampus, important for learning and memory, may continue to generate new neurons through a process known as neurogenesis.

Factors like regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and lifelong learning can help support this regenerative capacity.

How Does the Brain Recover from Damage?

The brain has a remarkable ability to adapt after injury, thanks to neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to reorganise itself by forming new neural connections.

While the extent of recovery can vary depending on the nature of the damage, rehabilitation therapies such as cognitive training, speech therapy, and physical therapy can aid the brain’s recovery and help individuals regain function over time.

What Food Is Good for Brain Function?

A balanced diet that includes whole, nutrient-dense foods can help support focus, memory, and overall brain function. Look for foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds), antioxidants (like blueberries, leafy greens, and dark chocolate), and complex carbohydrates (like oats and whole grains).

What Vitamins Should You Take for Brain Health?

Certain vitamins and nutrients are particularly important for brain health. Vitamin B12 supports the nervous system and helps reduce fatigue, while vitamin D is associated with mood and cognitive support. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oil and krill oil, contribute to brain structure and function.

What Is Best for Brain Health Overall?

Supporting brain health involves a combination of daily habits. A diet rich in brain-supporting nutrients, regular physical activity, quality sleep, stress management, and mental stimulation all contribute to cognitive wellbeing and resilience.

What Colour Is the Brain?

Despite what we often see in movies or illustrations, the living human brain isn’t pink or grey, it’s a mix of colours. It has a soft, off-white appearance with hints of pink and red due to the rich blood supply.

The outer surface appears grey (hence the term ‘grey matter’), while inner areas rich in myelinated nerve fibres appear white, known as ‘white matter.’ The brain is both colourful and complex!

The brain is an extraordinary organ responsible for everything from thought and movement to memory and emotion. It's not a muscle, but a soft, complex organ made up of billions of neurons that work together to manage every aspect of our lives.

As we grow, our brains develop and adapt, and even into adulthood, they remain capable of change through neuroplasticity.

While the brain is powerful, it also needs care – balanced nutrition, mental stimulation, movement, sleep, and emotional wellbeing all help protect and support it across our lifespan.