The greatest mysteries of our mind

Since ancient times, people have wondered a lot about what happens in the mind, especially in relation to feelings, dreams, conscience, death or intelligence. You can know here the most amazing mysteries in relation to the mind.

1-The dreams: no one knows for sure what dreams are for. Some may tell you that they are premonitions, others that it is about what the person has thought minutes before going to sleep and there are those who consider that they are stories of our past or future lives. Even scientists do not agree with this controversial issue. One of the possibilities that most followers have is that which expresses that thanks to dreams the mind can exercise, because they stimulate the exchange at the synapses of the neurons. Another theory says that people dream to channel their emotions and their fears that repress when they are awake, strengthening emotional memory. What is known is that dreams appear in the REM phase of rest.

2-The daydreams: it is not the same as the previous point, it is worth clarifying. It is about that drowsiness that sometimes floods us, or when our eyes close without us being able to avoid it. Apparently these events occur in a quarter of our lives. In those moments we are aware of the environment even if we do not create it. This is because daydreams are different from dreams, as stated above. Since sleep is crucial because otherwise we can even die, scientists believe that with these small breaks we enter a "hibernation" that allows the system to recover some energy, just as the PC does when it is in rest function. What it does, keeps the functions of the brain active (this is the main difference with respect to sleep).

3-The members "ghosts": 80% of people who suffered some amputation in their limbs experience sensations in that region, such as pain, heat, pressure or itching. They feel that the amputated part is still part of their body, even if there is nothing. One response to this is that the nerves in the area have created new connections with the spinal cord and that they continue to send signals. Another option is that the body needs to "think" that it is complete in order to function correctly, ignoring the amputated part and believing that it is still in place.

4-The biological clock: It is located in the hypothalamus (suprachiasmatic nucleus) and is programmed to follow a rhythm that does not stop 24 hours a day, that is, the circadian. The most obvious action of the biological clock occurs in the alternation between sleep and wakefulness. But also, it intervenes in the digestive processes, in blood pressure, body temperature or the synthesis of hormones. The researchers discovered that to adjust the clock the light intensity is required, which regulates some functions. This may be why there are people who wake up at the same time every day, seconds before the alarm goes off, or that hunger appears at the same moment no matter what we are doing.

5-Memory: there are facts that you will never forget in life and others that seem to be kept under seven keys. Issues such as the first kiss, a robbery or the birth of children are milestones for our memory. How can we access our memories? This is a frequent question in scientists. Where is that "movie" about our life? They also want to know the answer. Studies reveal that the hippocampus is a vital element in responding to these consultations, because it acts as if it were a box where memories are stored, but it is a non-discriminative system. This means that true memories are there, but also those that are invented or false. The next question for science is to know why we can determine if something happened or not.

6-The sense of humor: it is one of the least understood things after many investigations. When laughing, a large part of our brain is activated. The area that allows us to understand the joke, the emotional part and the area that "tells" the facial muscles that should move. What is not yet known is why there are people who laugh when others fall, when they are nervous, when they tell a joke, etc. Apparently, the brain laughs at inconsistencies, that is, facts or stories that disobey experience.

7-Death: as we get older, our body is not so immune to wounds and diseases and we begin to deteriorate. This also happens in the brain. There are different theories about that, of course. One for example says that the aging of the mind is part of the human condition and it is beneficial that this happens, as a matter of giving way to future generations. Another says that it has no purpose in itself, which is simply cellular damage that occurs throughout life. Some believe that it is possible to delay this process to double the duration of life.

8-The conscience: without doubts it is on what more is spoken in terms of mysteries of the human mind. It is at all times of our existence, when we get up, we hear the song of the birds, we shower, we go to work, we eat, we spend time with our family, we do sports, we study, etc. This subject is very complex and is the cause of many studies and controversies. It is still the biggest puzzle with several missing pieces. What many strive to discover are the processes that occur in the brain to give rise to memories or subjective experiences.