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.

Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder characterized by psychosis (e.g., hallucinations and delusions), flattened emotions, and impaired cognitive function.

Insulation covering wires preserves the strength of the electrical signals that travel through them. The myelin sheath covering axons serves a similar purpose.

Optical imaging relies on shining weak lasers through the skull to visualize brain activity. These techniques are inexpensive and relatively portable. They are also silent and safe: Because only extremely weak lasers are used, these methods can be used to study everyone, even infants.

Researchers throughout the world are pursuing a variety of new ways to repair or replace neurons and other cells in the brain. For the most part, these experimental approaches are still being worked out in animals and cannot be considered therapies for humans at this time.

The brain uses a variety of chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate between brain cells.

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.