If the brain was not a conscious object, how would the brain actually create consciousness? The answer further to this is unknown to me. If you know something regarding this , brief it.
If you go by the intelligence of the brain it's " Use it or lose it". You will lose the intelligence of the brain if you don't use it implies if you don't challenge it by giving puzzles , or by math , or by learning a new language. If you challenge the brain its functioning improves and thus we improve the functioning of the brain.