Sylvie Chokron, neuropsychologist. “Everyone has the ability to surpass themselves mentally and physically”

Do you still believe that you can only use 10% of your brain’s capacity and believe that some brains just work better than others? It is not so. And Sylvie Chocron, neuropsychologist and research director of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), is determined to prove it to you. After studying the brain for 30 years, the scientist recently set out to meet 16 personalities, each different from the last, each with a particular skill or personality trait. Born of his interviews with pianist Andre Manoukian, war correspondent Anne Poiret, astronaut Jean-François Clairvaux, and former athlete Edgar Grospiron, among others. in the brain… (1), a mine of information about brains that at first glance seems out of the ordinary.

Scientist defends “neurodiversity”. “By doing calculations to get the number 10 of several people, some will add 5+5, others – 8+2, others – 6+4,” the neurologist immediately emphasizes. This clearly proves that when faced with a situation, multiple brains can achieve the same result in a perfectly clear way, without scaling.” His goal? Show that by understanding how each brain works, it is possible to better understand our own cognitive abilities.

Madame Figaro: You’ve been studying the brain for over 30 years. What did you learn from these meetings?
Sylvie Chokron: What I am convinced of today is that every brain is unique and has a lot to teach us. And being interested in different functions can be a great ally in thinking about our individual, but also more collective, behaviors. For example, I have long believed that to become an astronaut you have to have an above average IQ and pass extremely high performance tests. In fact, my conversation with astronaut and engineer Jean-Francois Clairvaux taught me that the effectiveness of the space shuttle depends on a team of people with very different skills. Eventually, what differentiates us from robots is our ability to exhibit some form of collective intelligence. Not forgetting that understanding the cognitive function of others can also inspire us.

In particular, have you found out that everyone can adopt the mindset of an athlete?
Everyone has within them the ability to surpass themselves mentally, intellectually and even physically. We cannot imagine the extent to which our brain makes decisions for us and therefore can prevent us from doing things. This is explained by “inhibitory circuits”, brain circuits located especially in the frontal lobe, which inhibit this or that behavior to protect us. Speaking with former freestyle skier and Olympic champion Edgar Grosspiron, I realized that it is possible to remove this barrier to excellence. To do this, you need to set goals that are both attainable and achievable. competitors and have an intrinsic motivation (wanting to prove one’s strength, for example) or an extrinsic motivation (a prize or reward).

It takes courage to surpass yourself. So can any of us demonstrate this?
Absolutely. People who seem brave to us have actually done everything they could to stop being afraid. This is what I was able to confirm with the adventurer and philosopher Blanche de Richemont and the war correspondent Anne Poiret. Before scouting alone in the desert or reporting in a conflict-ridden city, both prepare for any eventuality and automate their gestures and reactions. Being thus seasoned, they are able to tame fear. Everything happens in the brain. fear activates the amygdala, a region involved in managing our emotional feelings. Intellectualizing an event that might frighten us, and preparing to face it, reduces amygdala activity and thus fear. Research has also shown the power of meditation. By practicing it regularly, we can control our breathing, our reactions and our focus. When faced with a stressful situation, we will be less prone to panic.

Understanding how our brain works appears to be essential to managing our emotions…
It is obvious that this is proved by the testimony of pianist Andre Manukyan. The musician felt the powerful influence of music on our brain. She grew up with a piano at home, which brought sweetness and peace to her family and allowed everyone to escape the horrors of the Armenian Genocide. The benefits of music on our cognitive processes have been widely demonstrated in neuroscience. It boosts focus, memory and intelligence while reducing cognitive decline. On an emotional level, it also allows you to experience and digest life events. For example, listening to a sad song when we are sad allows us to express this emotion and get rid of it. All this allows us to once again consider the plasticity of our brain.

Is it possible to modify our activities by being inspired by others?
Absolutely. The brain is a flexible organ from the beginning, it is constantly changing and establishing new neural connections until the end of life. This is why I encourage learning. By watching others interact with fear, creativity, or self-transcendence, we can challenge ourselves to change our habits to act differently. The more we try new experiences, whether physical or intellectual, the more we create new brain pathways. We can adopt another individual’s way of doing things. The key is to trust your cognitive abilities while allowing yourself to be surprised by what our brains are capable of transforming us into experiences.

(1) in the brain…By Sylvie Chocron, Les Presses de la Cité, 288 pages, €19.90.