Systems neuroscience
From Free net encyclopedia
Systems neuroscience is the study of neural circuit function in intact organisms. This research area is concerned with how nerve cells behave when connected together to form neural networks that perform a common function: vision, for example, or voluntary movement. When we speak of the mechanisms of the "visual system" and the "motor system," each of which possesses its own distinct circuitry within the brain, we are referring to systems neuroscience. At this level of analysis, neuroscientists study how different neural circuits analyze sensory information, form perceptions of the external worlds, make decisions, and execute movements. Researchers concerned with systems neuroscience focus on the vast space that exists between molecular and cellular approaches to the brain and the study of high-level mental functions such as language, memory, and self-awareness (which are the purview of behavioral and cognitive neuroscience).
The challenges in studying neural circuits are many, as nonlinear interactions between voltage and ligand-gated channels, second messenger systems, exocytosis, and other processes dictate that these neural networks will not just be the sums of their parts, but will produce unexpected and complex patterns of activity.
See also
- Motor system
- Sensory system
- Sensory Neuroscience
- Visual system
- Auditory system
- Olfactory system
- Gustatory system
- Somatosensory system
References
- Bear, M. F. et. al. Eds. (1995). Neuroscience: Exploring The Brain. Baltimore, Maryland, Williams and Wilkins. ISBN 0781739446