Once the neurons reach their final location, they must make the proper connections so that a particular function, such as vision or hearing, can emerge.

The moment light meets the retina, the process of sight begins. About 60 years ago, scientists discovered that each vision cell’s receptive field is activated when light hits a tiny region in the center of the field and inhibited when light hits the area surrounding the center.

Providing a high-quality, three-dimensional image of organs and structures inside the body without X-rays or other radiation, MRIs are noninvasive and unsurpassed in the anatomical detail they show.

Sleep is crucial for concentration, memory, coordination, and even emotional health. Research holds promise for devising new treatments to allow millions of people to get a good night’s sleep.

The brain uses some unconventional means to communicate.

The two halves of the nervous system work together in order for your body to properly communicate its sensations and needs.

Most medicines today were developed using trial-and-error techniques, which often do not reveal why a drug produces a particular effect. But the expanding knowledge gained from molecular biology methods makes safer and more effective drugs possible.

Plasticity itself is not unique to humans, but the degree to which our brains are able to adapt is.

Often considered the most important sense for humans, hearing allows us to communicate with each other by receiving sounds and interpreting speech.

HIV attacks the immune system’s cells that help protect the body from infection and can also lead to severe neurological disorders.