Nervous System

The nervous system is an organ system containing a network of specialized cells called neurons that coordinate the actions of an animal and transmit signals between different parts of its body. In most animals the nervous system consists of two parts, central and peripheral. The central nervous system contains the brain and spinal cord.

What is the Nervous System?

The nervous system is a complex network of neurons and cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to various parts of the body.

Bioelectronic Medicine: Hacking Nervous System Signals for Therapeutic Benefits

What are Schwann Cells?

The Impact of Hormones on the Nervous System

Function of the Nervous System

Pathology of the Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Stereotactic radiation improves quality of life in patients with brain metastases

In a Phase 3 randomized trial, Mass General Brigham researchers found that stereotactic radiation targeting individual tumors led to lower symptom burden, better cognitive outcomes, and better day to day function when compared with whole brain radiation

19 Feb 2026

Study reveals distinct brain roles for MNK1 and MNK2 enzymes

Researchers at the Max Delbrück Center show that two related enzymes, MNK1 and MNK2, act on the brain to regulate different behaviors.

19 Feb 2026

Onset of "the munchies" after cannabis use could offer clues to help people with appetite loss

The urgent onset of "the munchies" after cannabis use isn't imaginary – it's a cognitive response that occurs regardless of sex, age, weight or recent food consumption and could offer clues to help people struggling with appetite loss.

19 Feb 2026

Key protein regulates slow oxytocin release in the brain

The brain does not only communicate through fast electrical impulses; it also relies on slower, more diffuse chemical signals that modulate our emotional and social states over time.

19 Feb 2026

IFN-γ identified as a powerful blood biomarker for Alzheimer’s

This study identifies IFN-γ as a crucial blood-based biomarker for Alzheimer's, revealing its role in microglial inflammation and genetic risk interactions.

19 Feb 2026

Prenatal lead exposure linked to lower cognition six decades later

Exposure to lead before birth is associated with lower performance 60 years later on tests of thinking and memory skills in female participants, according to a study published on February 18, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

18 Feb 2026

Predictive power of C-reactive protein shifts based on cirrhosis or coronary disease

A new study reveals that the predictive power of key inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein, shifts fundamentally depending on whether a patient suffers from cirrhosis or acute/chronic coronary disease.

18 Feb 2026

Novel implant delivers tiny growth-promoting particles directly to injured nerve cells

Researchers from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences have developed a novel implant that delivers tiny growth-promoting particles directly to injured nerve cells, helping them to regrow after spinal cord injury.

18 Feb 2026

A simple handgrip test reveals how strong your working memory may be

Grip strength correlates with working memory performance and prefrontal activation, highlighting its potential as a cognitive health marker in older adults.

18 Feb 2026

Can GLP-1 drugs slow neurodegeneration? New review finds promising signals but limited clinical proof

This review examines how GLP-1 receptor agonists may influence neurodegenerative disease biology through metabolic, inflammatory, mitochondrial, and proteostasis pathways. Evidence from mechanistic, preclinical, and early clinical studies suggests potential neuroprotective effects, but definitive disease-modifying benefit remains unproven.

17 Feb 2026

Specific neurobiological link identified between hearing loss and cognitive decline

Presbycusis is a prevalent form of age-related hearing loss that also hinders speech recognition. While scientists have linked hearing loss to an increased risk of cognitive decline, the biological "bridge" between the two has remained unclear.

16 Feb 2026

Advances in pathogenesis and management of gastrointestinal motility disorders

Announcing a new publication for Acta Materia Medica journal. Gastrointestinal motility disorders (GIMDs) are characterized by impaired gastrointestinal motility.

13 Feb 2026

ASH releases new guidelines for treating leukemia in adolescents and young adults

The American Society of Hematology (ASH) released guidelines on frontline management of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in adolescents and young adults (AYAs), as well as the management of relapsed or refractory disease in this population.

12 Feb 2026

Case report examines potential cancer risks after mRNA vaccination

A new case report was published in Volume 17 of Oncotarget on February 6, 2026, titled "Exploring the potential link between mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations and cancer: A case report with a review of haematopoietic malignancies with insights into pathogenic mechanisms."

12 Feb 2026

Researchers identify a previously unknown cellular barrier in the brain

VIB and Ghent University researchers have identified and characterized a previously unknown cellular barrier in the brain, which sheds new light on how the brain is protected from the rest of the body.

12 Feb 2026

Can hot baths lower high blood pressure?

A review highlights hot water immersion's potential in lowering blood pressure, emphasizing it as an adjunct therapy alongside traditional treatments.

12 Feb 2026

Lifelong learning associated with lower risk of Alzheimer's disease

Engaging in a variety of intellectually stimulating activities throughout life, such as reading, writing and learning a language, is associated with a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease and slower cognitive decline, according to a new study published on February 11, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Feb 2026

Traumatic brain injury linked to long-term work disability

Having a traumatic brain injury, no matter how serious, is associated with a greater likelihood of qualifying for work disability up to five years later, according to a study published February 11, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Feb 2026

Alzheimer’s plaques decline after CAR-T immune cell treatment in preclinical study

Researchers engineered CD4+ chimeric antigen receptor T cells targeting fibrillar amyloid beta and tested them in a mouse Alzheimer model. The preclinical study showed reduced amyloid pathology and altered neuroimmune responses, supporting CAR-T immunotherapy as a potential future Alzheimer strategy.

11 Feb 2026

Tiny organism offers insight into neurological side effects of chemotherapy

Chemotherapy remains one of the most powerful tools in the fight against cancer, yet it often comes with significant long-term side effects that can dramatically affect patients' quality of life.

11 Feb 2026