At our meeting on 15th September, we welcomed back Dr Katy Bellamy, who is a cognitive neuroscientist. Katy had visited us about a year ago when she talked about the problems associated with assuming that our memories are accurate. This time she called her talk Busting Brain Myths and examined the accuracy of some common beliefs about the way our brains work.

Katy started by considering the popular belief that we only use a small percentage of our brain at any time, using a photo of a scan of a severely damaged, but apparently functioning, brain which seemed to support this belief. She outlined the results of observations on working brains, using MRI scanning technology to show that the belief is far from true. The clinical history of the owner of the damaged brain provided an explanation of his paradoxical situation.

Katy next examined the myth that we are either “right-brained” or “left-brained”. She briefly described the attempts, about 50 years ago, to eliminate severe and frequent epileptic seizures by surgically separating the right and left hemispheres of patients. A major outcome from these procedures was the understanding that the hemispheres work together and that brain activity is integrated between both hemispheres.

We were asked to consider the effects on brain functioning of alcohol and of sleep. In each case the analyses of scientific investigations do not support commonly-held views about the way our brains work.

Perhaps the best indication of the way Katy engaged the interest and attention of our members is that, following her talk, she spent over 20 minutes answering their questions before Bill Birch was able to propose a vote of thanks for an excellent talk.

Following the formal meeting, club members and guests enjoyed lunch together.

We meet every Thursday morning at Evesham Rowing Club.

GRENVILLE BURROWS