Neural control is the process by which the nervous system controls movement and physiological processes. Neurons send signals to achieve desired goals, regulate movements, and act as sensors to deliver information to the brain. Researchers study neural control to develop treatments for disorders that inhibit brain and nervous system function.
Neural control is the process used by the nervous system to control everything from movement to physiological processes. The body is a series of complex interconnected systems that work together to sustain life in a variety of ways, and neural control underpins these systems. Neural control disorders are a topic of interest to some researchers and medical professionals who want to help people who have suffered damage to the brain or nervous system.
Highly specialized cells known as neurons or nerve cells are a key part of the neural system. Each cell has the ability to send signals along its length to communicate with other cells. There are different types of neurons present in various parts of the body that are capable of sending different types of signals. Depending on the activity being controlled, signals are sent from various brain regions along a chain of neurons to achieve the desired goal. Signals can also be sent to the brain, providing feedback that allows the brain to respond to changing situations.
Movements, both voluntary and involuntary, are controlled by neurons. Neural motion control regulates everything from heart rate to raising a hand in class. When people develop disorders that interfere with this, they can lose control over their movements, experience involuntary jerks and twitches, or even have difficulty with tasks that should be automatic, such as subtle adjustments to the muscles that allow people to stand comfortably.
Neurons act as sensors to deliver information to the brain that may be relevant to the brain’s activities. For example, when someone runs, the brain receives information that more oxygen is needed and increases the respiratory rate to ensure the runner is getting enough oxygen. When someone is injured, pain signals are sent to the brain so it knows how to respond to the injury, while a cascading series of automatic injury responses are activated in individual cells around the site.
As researchers study the brain, they learn more about neural control, as well as developing potential treatments for disorders that inhibit brain and nervous system function. For example, researchers have learned that deep brain stimulation can be helpful in treating some degenerative brain diseases and that the brain can be retrained after an event like a stroke to learn how to do things again.
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