In response to signals from a brain region called the hypothalamus, the adrenal glands secrete glucocorticoids, hormones that produce an array of effects in response to stress.

Much faster than a traditional MRI, MEG can be used to provide even more information about brain activity.

Neuron formation begins in the earliest stages of human development. Signaling molecules “turn on” certain genes and “turn off” others, beginning nerve cell induction.

As our understanding of the processes that underlie brain damage progresses, it becomes possible to use small-molecule drugs, such as antibiotics and anti-tumor drugs, to alter these processes.

Chemical reactions within brain cells translate the neurotransmitter message for the neuron.

Brain injury is all too common, but treatments are being improved constantly. Those who survive a brain injury face a lifetime of disability, with economic costs approaching $60 billion annually.

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.

How exactly are memories stored in brain cells? After years of study, much evidence supports the idea that memory involves a persistent change in synapses, the connections between neurons.

Studies of the body’s own pain-control system demonstrated the existence of naturally occurring opioids — the endorphins.

Currently approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease do not modify the course of the disease and offer only temporary mitigation of some symptoms, such as agitation, anxiety, unpredictable behavior, sleep disturbances, and depression.