The human brain — a spongy, three-pound mass of tissue — is the most complex living structure in the known universe.

Researching the brain and mind requires a major financial investment on a global scale, and takes place in a wide variety of locations and organizations.

Scientists who study the brain do so for many reasons. For some, the opportunity to study the most complex living structure in the known universe is itself an exciting quest. So much is still unknown about brain function and development.

The discovery in the late 1950s that the level of dopamine was decreased in the brains of Parkinson’s patients was followed in the 1960s by successful treatment with the drug levodopa, which is converted to dopamine in the brain. This historical event is one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in the field of neurology.

What do standing frustrated in a supermarket checkout line or sitting in a traffic jam have in common with fleeing predators, as was done in the early days of human beings?

The cerebrum, the largest part of the human brain, is associated with higher order functioning, including the control of voluntary behavior. Thinking, perceiving, planning, and understanding language all lie within the cerebrum’s control.

Molecules that are important in brain development may help treat or prevent brain injuries and disorders.

From the first large studies monitoring the mental functioning of the same group of healthy humans over many years, scientists have uncovered unexpected results.

From remembering a friend's face to figuring out where you left your keys, the act of memory has many dimensions.

Considered the most common mental illnesses, anxiety disorders affect an estimated 18 percent of the adult population in a given year, or 40 million Americans.