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.

What are Schwann Cells?

Pathology of the Nervous System

Bioelectronic Medicine: Hacking Nervous System Signals for Therapeutic Benefits

The Impact of Hormones on the Nervous System

Function of the Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System

Latest Nervous System News and Research

New review illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation

A comprehensive review published today in Brain Medicine illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation, establishing the microbiota-gut-brain axis as a critical pathway in understanding and potentially treating sleep disorders.

4 Nov 2025

NIH-funded study investigates signals mediating the earliest stages of cancer development

The same cellular renewal that keeps our bodies healthy might also fuel the growth of cancer. A UC Merced biologist has found that the brain could hold the key to stopping it.

4 Nov 2025

Indoor hydroponic gardening boosts wellbeing for cancer patients

Indoor hydroponic gardening - a method of growing plants using nutrient-rich water instead of soil - could help cancer patients develop better mental health, eat a healthier diet and enjoy a better overall quality of life.

4 Nov 2025

Fruit fly study reveals link between sleep deprivation and eating behavior

Sleep patterns and eating habits can influence each other, but the link between these behaviors remains unclear.

3 Nov 2025

Long-term use of melatonin supplements linked to higher risk of heart failure and death

Long-term use of melatonin supplements, often used to promote sleep and address insomnia, was associated with a higher risk of heart failure diagnosis, heart failure hospitalization and death from any cause in chronic insomnia, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2025.

3 Nov 2025

Scientists uncover new obesity genes that reshape understanding of weight and disease risk

Researchers identified five previously unknown genes linked to obesity by analyzing rare protein-truncating variants across six ancestries. The study reveals how rare and common genetic factors combine to influence BMI and related diseases like diabetes and heart failure.

2 Nov 2025

Neuroscientists uncover a surprising role for "Frazzled" protein in the nervous system of fruit flies

Florida Atlantic University neuroscientists have uncovered a surprising role for a protein named "Frazzled" (known as DCC in mammals) in the nervous system of fruit flies, showing how it helps neurons connect and communicate with lightning speed.

31 Oct 2025

New method enhances precision in bionic limb movement interpretation

Despite enormous progress in the past two decades, the intentional control of bionic prostheses remains a challenge and the subject of intensive research.

31 Oct 2025

How nerve cells in the gut adapt to microbial and immune challenges

Ramnik Xavier, MD, PhD, of the Department of Molecular Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is the senior author of a paper published in Science, "Regional encoding of enteric nervous system responses to microbiota and type 2 inflammation."

31 Oct 2025

Sensory effects of flavanols trigger physiological responses in the brain

Astringency is a dry, puckering, rough, or sandpapery sensation in the mouth caused by plant-derived polyphenols.

31 Oct 2025

Evidence of previously unrecognized hub in the brain's lymphatic drainage system revealed

How does the brain take out its trash? That is the job of the brain's lymphatic drainage system, and efforts to understand how it works have pushed the boundaries of brain-imaging technologies.

31 Oct 2025

Study reveals how TDP-43 causes neuronal overactivity in ALS and FTD

A new Northwestern University study using patient nervous tissue and lab-grown human neurons has uncovered how a key disease protein, TDP-43, drives overactive nerve cells in the neurodegenerative diseases amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

31 Oct 2025

Advances in diagnosis and management of systemic light chain amyloidosis

Systemic light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare and life-threatening disorder characterized by the deposition of misfolded immunoglobulin light chains as insoluble amyloid fibrils in various tissues and organs, leading to progressive structural and functional impairment.

30 Oct 2025

Veterans with post-traumatic brain injury epilepsy more likely to have higher mortality rates

Military veterans who develop epilepsy after a traumatic brain injury may have a higher mortality rate in the following years than veterans who develop epilepsy with no previous traumatic brain injury, according to a study published on October 29, 2025, in Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

30 Oct 2025

New study sheds light on vision loss in idiopathic intracranial hypertension

If untreated, a disorder of high brain pressure called idiopathic intracranial hypertension can lead to vision loss. But this disorder can develop without noticeable symptoms, making it hard to catch.

30 Oct 2025

Fruit flies illuminate the role of Alzheimer's disease risk genes

Scientists have identified hundreds of genes that may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease but the roles these genes play in the brain are poorly understood.

29 Oct 2025

Broad-spectrum antivenom could revolutionize treatment of venomous snakebites in Africa

DTU researchers are behind a potentially groundbreaking antivenom that could revolutionize the treatment of venomous snakebites in Africa.

29 Oct 2025

Two analgesic drugs may one day be repurposed as anti-tumor therapies

Peripheral afferent neurons - nerves that send signals from all areas of the body to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) - are known to infiltrate and grow within malignant bone tumors called osteosarcomas, often accompanied by severe pain.

29 Oct 2025

Exploring the gut-brain-immune axis in neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS), represent a growing global health burden, particularly in aging populations.

28 Oct 2025

Newly discovered perineural pathway enables HIV virus to redistribute throughout the body

Addressing the question of whether and how immune cells (macrophages) in the central nervous system (CNS) traffic out, researchers have now identified a perineural pathway through which the HIV virus can redistribute throughout the body.

28 Oct 2025

Nervous System

Overview

What are Schwann Cells?

Pathology of the Nervous System

Bioelectronic Medicine: Hacking Nervous System Signals for Therapeutic Benefits

Feature Articles

The Impact of Hormones on the Nervous System

Function of the Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System

Latest Nervous System News and Research

New review illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation

NIH-funded study investigates signals mediating the earliest stages of cancer development

Indoor hydroponic gardening boosts wellbeing for cancer patients

Fruit fly study reveals link between sleep deprivation and eating behavior

Long-term use of melatonin supplements linked to higher risk of heart failure and death

Scientists uncover new obesity genes that reshape understanding of weight and disease risk

Neuroscientists uncover a surprising role for "Frazzled" protein in the nervous system of fruit flies

New method enhances precision in bionic limb movement interpretation

How nerve cells in the gut adapt to microbial and immune challenges

Sensory effects of flavanols trigger physiological responses in the brain

Evidence of previously unrecognized hub in the brain's lymphatic drainage system revealed

Study reveals how TDP-43 causes neuronal overactivity in ALS and FTD

Advances in diagnosis and management of systemic light chain amyloidosis

Veterans with post-traumatic brain injury epilepsy more likely to have higher mortality rates

New study sheds light on vision loss in idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Fruit flies illuminate the role of Alzheimer's disease risk genes

Broad-spectrum antivenom could revolutionize treatment of venomous snakebites in Africa

Two analgesic drugs may one day be repurposed as anti-tumor therapies

Exploring the gut-brain-immune axis in neurodegeneration

Newly discovered perineural pathway enables HIV virus to redistribute throughout the body

Industry Focus eBook - Medical device (1st edition) eBook

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

From street to lab: Advancing controlled substance testing with handheld Raman and FTIR

Nervous System

Overview

Feature Articles

The Impact of Hormones on the Nervous System

Function of the Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Industry Focus eBook - Medical device (1st edition) eBook

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

From street to lab: Advancing controlled substance testing with handheld Raman and FTIR

Newsletters you may be interested in