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

Function of the Nervous System

Bioelectronic Medicine: Hacking Nervous System Signals for Therapeutic Benefits

The Impact of Hormones on the Nervous System

Development of the Nervous System

Latest Nervous System News and Research

Researchers identify CD99L2 gene as a cause of spastic ataxia

Despite modern high-throughput sequencing, the genetic cause of most rare movement disorders remains unclear.

17 Mar 2026

Sleep-like brain activity linked to attention lapses in ADHD

New from JNeurosci, Elaine Pinggal, from Monash University, and colleagues assessed how sleep-like brain activity in awake adults influences sustained attention during a task.

16 Mar 2026

Brain breathing mechanism linked to persistent high blood pressure

A brain mechanism may explain why approximately 40% of people with hypertension continue to have high blood pressure despite taking medication. The discovery reveals potential targets for new treatments.

16 Mar 2026

Scientists identify common symptom patterns in post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome

A registry study across 14 Japanese clinics analyzed 179 cases of post-COVID-19 vaccination syndrome (PCVS) and identified 493 adverse events affecting multiple organ systems. Most symptoms appeared within 90 days, but some occurred much later, highlighting the need for continued vaccine safety monitoring and better clinical frameworks for persistent post-vaccination symptoms.

16 Mar 2026

Early high-dose therapy improves hand and arm function in infants with cerebral palsy

Infants and toddlers with unilateral cerebral palsy, which affects the brain's control of muscles on one side of the body, show lasting improvements in hand and arm function when they receive early, high-dose therapy, according to a new multisite clinical trial led by Virginia Tech researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC.

16 Mar 2026

Scientists show gut bacteria can reach the brain in mice and reveal a potential vagus nerve pathway

Researchers found that very small numbers of gut bacteria can translocate to the brain in mice, particularly when gut barrier permeability increases due to a Paigen diet. Evidence suggests the vagus nerve may serve as a partial route for this gut-to-brain microbial movement.

15 Mar 2026

Doctors warn of a deadly complication from measles outbreaks

The first sign came when Deepanwita Dasgupta was 5 and started stumbling more while playing at her home in Bangalore in southern India.

13 Mar 2026

Study identifies immune cells and RANK protein as fertility regulators

The kick off signal for puberty begins in the brain. Specifically, in the hypothalamus, where specific neurons release a hormone that activates the hypophysis, at the base of the skull, which then releases other hormones to start gonad –ovaries or testicles –maturation.

12 Mar 2026

Study finds treatment gap for young ADHD patients with substance use disorders

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, affecting 12%–13% of adolescents in the United States, according to some studies.

12 Mar 2026

Prebiotic fiber supplement lowers pain sensitivity in people with knee osteoarthritis

A new study has found that a prebiotic fiber supplement reduced pain, improved grip strength, and lowered pain sensitivity in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) - with far fewer dropouts than a digital physiotherapy programme.

12 Mar 2026

The 0.05 EU/mg breakthrough: How Sino Biological ProPure™ is redefining the Ultra-Low Endotoxin standard

When we discuss bacterial infections, we often think of exotoxins—those soluble proteins actively secreted by bacteria—while overlooking endotoxins, which are more insidious but equally dangerous.

From Sino Biological Inc. 12 Mar 2026

Does coffee disrupt sleep? Large population study suggests the impact may be minimal

A large cross-sectional analysis of 25,381 Swedish adults aged 50–64 found that habitual coffee consumption showed only very weak associations with sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Genetic analyses confirmed known coffee-related variants and suggested that long-term caffeine exposure may lead to adaptation in the brain’s adenosine signaling system.

11 Mar 2026

Multiple concussions linked to slightly worse health in former college athletes

In former college athletes, having had three or more concussions was associated with slightly worse physical, mental, behavioral and cognitive health five years after graduation, according to an article published March 11, 2026, in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Mar 2026

ADHD prescriptions surged during the COVID-19 pandemic

A study reveals COVID-19 reshaped stimulant prescribing patterns in Ontario, highlighting increased ADHD diagnoses and concerns over treatment appropriateness.

11 Mar 2026

Brain connectivity differences found in infants with congenital heart disease

The prevalence of congenital heart disease points to the need for a better understanding of how it influences neurodevelopment. New in JNeurosci, Jung-Hoon Kim and Catherine Limperopoulos, from Children's National Hospital, led a study examining brain network disruptions that may be linked to congenital heart disease.

9 Mar 2026

STING agonists exert potent antitumor effects against nervous system tumors

The cGAS-STING signaling pathway has emerged as a major focus in cancer immunotherapy because it stimulates interferon production and enhances antitumor immune responses.

9 Mar 2026

Understanding PIEZO2 mutations and sensory disorders

Every time we feel a gentle tap on the skin, specialized nerve cells convert that physical force into an electrical signal that the brain can interpret as touch. While scientists have long known that a protein called PIEZO2 acts as a key sensor for touch, it remained unclear why PIEZO2 is specialized for the localized mechanical forces experienced by sensory neurons, whereas its close relative PIEZO1 responds to broader mechanical stresses such as those generated when cells stretch, as occurs in blood vessels.

9 Mar 2026