Neuroscientists study normal nervous system development and function, as well as disorders and diseases that cause abnormal nervous system development and function. Understanding how a healthy nervous system works to produce thought, emotion, and behavior and to regulate important body functions helps to shed light on problems that can lead to diseases or disorders of the nervous system.
In addition to studies of the normal processes of the nervous system, neuroscience includes studies of diseases and disorders. More than 1,000 disorders of the brain and nervous system exist, including (but not limited to):
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs), such as Down syndrome, Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), and Fragile X syndrome
- Behavioral disorders, such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
- Psychiatric diseases, such as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson’s disease
- Injuries, including traumatic brain injury and stroke
- Cancers, including brain tumors
- Immune system disorders, such as HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis
- Addiction
- Epilepsy and seizures
Understanding how to prevent and treat these disorders and diseases is crucial for maintaining the overall health and well-being of all people.
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- Society for Neuroscience. (n.d.). What is Neuroscience? Retrieved July 31, 2012, from http://www.sfn.org/index.aspx?pagename=whatIsNeuroscience [top]
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Society for Neuroscience. (2012). What is Neuroscience? Retrieved August 2, 2012, from http://www.brainfacts.org/about-neuroscience/what-is-neuroscience [top]