Neuroscientist

A neuroscientist is an individual who studies the nervous system. The nervous system consists of the brain, spinal cord, and networks of neurons that are distributed throughout the body. Neuroscientists investigate a wide variety of subtopics concerning the nervous system, such as: Stem cells and neurogenesis, development and aging of the brain, channels, receptors and neurotransmitters, neural plasticity and regeneration, functional imaging, as well as genetics of neurologic and psychiatric diseases. Neuroscientists typically research questions about the nervous system and develop methods of exploration ranging from imaging of a live person to culturing cells on a Petri dish. From such studies, neuroscientists discover how the nervous system develops and functions normally, in order to learn possible mechanisms that may go awry in neurological disorders.

Neuroscientists are often educated in a wide variety of subjects including biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, and psychology. With this extensive background, neuroscientists aim to investigate brain function at many different levels, and see how they integrate and affect human performance and behavior. At the genetic level, recent research has been focused on identifying susceptibility genes of neurological conditions with the hope of detecting risks earlier in order to positively affect prognosis. With the recent development of the International HapMap Project, genetic similarities and differences in human beings have been catalogued from many ethnic backgrounds. Using this information, neuroscientists are able to pinpoint genes that affect health, disease, and individual responses to medications and environmental factors. In addition, with the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, the sequences of the 3 million base pairs that comprise human DNA can be studied. With such [Page 1238]valuable resources available, neuroscientists have been able to take on more complex diseases.

At the molecular level, neuroscientists focus on studying genes, proteins, and chemicals that may affect brain function. Using such tools as microarray analysis, antibodies, and genetic probes, neuroscientists can isolate the genes that produce proteins thought to be involved in human disease. Neuroscientists interested in anatomy, neuroanatomists, investigate the structure and organization of the nervous system. Using dyes and microscopes, they can detect specific neurotransmitters, synapses, and receptors within specific regions of the brain. Developmental neuroscientists, on the other hand, study how the brain grows and changes over time. Such researchers study neuronal connections and resilience and how they may be affected by the environment. Behavioral neuroscientists study the processes of behavior in both humans and animals. They use such tools as microelectrodes, which measure neuronal electricity, and brain scans, which illustrate regions of the brain active while performing particular tasks. Finally, clinical neuroscientists, such as psychiatrists and neurologists, apply basic research findings to develop ways to treat debilitating neurological disorders.