Neuroscience is the study of the brain and spinal cord. It brings together many disciplines, such as cellular biology, neuroanatomy, physiology and behavior to understand how this complex part of the body works.

The brain is the organ that controls thoughts, feelings, movement, the senses, and automatic processes like breathing and temperature regulation. The brain and spinal cord together are called the central nervous system. The body sends chemical and electrical signals to the brain, and the brain can also send these signals to the body. The brain has three main parts. The cerebrum, the largest part, controls movement, thoughts, problem solving, language, emotions, learning and sensory processing. The brainstem connects the cerebrum and spinal cord and helps with movement, controls some cranial nerves, regulates the body and controls reflexes. The cerebellum is above the brainstem and below the cerebrum, and it controls balance, coordinates voluntary movement, and has roles in emotion and social behavior. The brain’s two main types of cells are neurons, which interpret and transmit information, and glial cells, which support the neurons. Many factors such as lifestyle, stress, age, injury and disease can affect brain function.

Neurological disorders are diseases that affect the brain, spinal cord or the nerves throughout the body. Common neurological disorders include migraine headaches, seizures, herniated disk and stroke. Neurodegenerative diseases also fall under the broader category of neurological disorders.

Neurodegenerative diseases are diseases where nerve cells in the brain or nervous system stop working and die. Treatments can help ease symptoms or delay the progress of these diseases, but currently they have no cure. Some signs and symptoms of neurodegenerative disease are memory loss, forgetfulness, indifferent mood, anxiety, mood changes, poor sleep, difficulty with speech, and issues with mobility or balance. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Lou Gehrig’s disease (also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS), Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and all forms of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a type of dementia that impacts memory, thinking and behavior. It’s a progressive disease that eventually interferes with the ability to do daily tasks. It is the most common cause of dementia, a term for loss of memory and cognition. Scientists are still not sure what causes Alzheimer’s, except that something damages the brain’s neurons, impairing their functions and eventually killing them. The infamous plaques and tangles — formed by protein deposits — are more widespread in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s, and it’s possible that they have a role in causing neuron damage and death. Common early signs of Alzheimer’s are forgetting recently learned information, challenges with problem-solving or completing daily tasks, confusion with time and place, problems with vocabulary, misplacing things, poor judgment, and changes in mood or personality. Treatments for Alzheimer’s can help slow the progression of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life, although there is currently no cure.