Neuroscience 

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Latest news on neuroscience, covering brain research, neurons and synapses, neuroimaging, neuroplasticity, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, brain-computer interfaces, cognitive science, neural networks and the work of neuroscientists worldwide.

Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system, from single molecules and cells to circuits, behaviour and cognition. The human brain holds roughly 86 billion neurons, alongside a similar number of other cells, including astrocytes, microglia and the oligodendrocytes that make myelin. Its subfields include neurobiology, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, neuroanatomy, neurogenetics, neuroimmunology, neuropharmacology, neuropsychology and connectomics, the mapping of neural wiring.

Research on memory, learning, sleep, emotion and consciousness examines structures such as the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, grey matter and cerebral cortex, using tools from imaging to magnetoencephalography. Work on neurodegeneration, stroke, epilepsy and multiple sclerosis seeks earlier diagnosis and better treatment, while neurosurgery, neuromodulation and neurorehabilitation aim to restore function after injury. Neurologists increasingly study the role of neurotransmitters, dendrites and synapses in these conditions.

Neurotechnology is moving fast. Brain-computer interfaces, neuroprosthetics and neurochips promise new ways to restore movement and speech, and they raise neuroethics questions about privacy, consent and identity. Artificial intelligence and neuroscience also inform each other, since artificial neural networks were first inspired by the brain.

The field touches everyday life. Neuroeducation looks at how people learn, neurodiversity highlights the range of human minds, including autism and ADHD, and research on sleep, exercise and diet explores how to keep the brain healthy through ageing.

Modern neuroscience has deep roots. Santiago Ramon y Cajal argued that the nervous system is made of discrete cells, and he shared the 1906 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Camillo Golgi. Electron microscopy later confirmed his view, and brain imaging now lets researchers watch the living brain at work.

Our NewsNow neuroscience news feed brings together headlines on the brain, neurons, neurological disease, cognition, neurotechnology and cognitive science from reliable sources, updated constantly. Whether you are a researcher, clinician, student or simply fascinated by how the mind works, it is a quick way to follow brain science.