Learn about the brain
What Is Neuroscience?
Neuroscience is the science of the brain and nervous system - how they work, how they shape our thoughts and actions, and what happens when they go wrong. It helps us understand everything from memory and movement to mental health and neurological disease.
Although neuroscience only became a distinct field in the 20th century, it has rapidly expanded and now touches many areas of life - from medicine and mental health to education, artificial intelligence, and even the justice system.
At the heart of it all is the human brain: a complex network of billions of cells working together to make us who we are. It controls how we think, feel, move, learn, and live.
Why It Matters
Understanding the brain and nervous system is one of the greatest scientific challenges - and one of the most important. Brain-related disorders are among the leading causes of disability worldwide, and yet much about the brain remains a mystery.
Neuroscience holds the key to unlocking treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, depression, stroke, and more - as well as improving how we live, learn, and care for one another.
A Field for Everyone
Neuroscience spans many approaches:
- Fundamental research explores how the nervous system works at a basic level
- Translational neuroscience bridges the lab and the clinic, turning discoveries into treatments and tools
- Clinical neuroscience focuses on diagnosing and treating brain-related conditions in real people
At the BNA, we welcome everyone with a passion for neuroscience - whether you're doing research, applying it in practice, studying it, or simply curious about how the brain works.
Join us and be part of a community working to advance knowledge and improve lives.