Clinical neuroscience studies how neurological disorders affect the central nervous system. Clinical neuroscientists use brain research to develop diagnostic tools and treatments for disorders such as memory impairment, mood disorders, and developmental disorders. They test treatments in animals before entering clinical trials. Clinical neuroscience is important for understanding the brain and helping patients live normal lives.
Clinical neuroscience is the study of the central nervous system and how it is affected by neurological disorders. Neurological disorders are anything that causes a disturbance in the normal functioning of nerves in a body. This includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves throughout the body. Clinical neuroscience takes the studies of both cognitive neuroscience and behavioral neuroscience and applies them in practical ways. Research conducted in this field may answer questions about how neurological or personality disorders affect the brain and how such disorders can be treated.
Clinical neuroscientists are physicians, psychologists, and neuroscientists. They use brain research to learn about the ways neurological disorders affect the brain and how those changes affect how a person functions. They use specialized electrodes, which can be placed on the head, to monitor brain activity. By combining this with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), they can observe the brain at work.
By studying scans of brains that have been affected by a neurological disorder, diagnostic tools and methods can be developed to detect disorders early. Researchers in clinical neuroscience are finding ways for doctors to diagnose neurological disorders much earlier than is possible. Early diagnosis allows doctors to start treating patients sooner, which is essential for slowing the progress of the ailments.
There are many disorders being studied in clinical neuroscience. This includes memory impairment, mood or personality disorders, and developmental disorders. Any disorder that affects neurological processing, from depression to autism, is of interest to neuroscientists. Researchers study how the disorder affects behavior or mood and how those changes show up in scans of brain activity. By learning more about these disorders, researchers hope to find better treatments or even a cure.
Once developed, new treatments need to be tested. Clinical neuroscience researchers test the treatment in animals, usually rats or birds, and study how the drug affects the brain. They look for how the drug interacts with brain processes and for any side effects. Once the drug is proven to be effective and safe, it enters the clinical trial phase and eventually becomes available in pharmacies. The whole process is supervised by clinical neuroscientists.
The study of clinical neuroscience is important to the fields of both science and medicine. Scientists are able to use these studies to better understand how the brain works. This research is also enabling doctors to help their patients live more normal lives, despite their neurological disorders. As more studies are conducted, it is possible that many devastating neurological disorders will become a thing of the past.
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