再生与发育2th.ppt

Analysis Levels of Neuroscience It focuses on studying how all those molecules work together to give the neuron its special properties. The questions are: How many different types of neurons are there? How do they differ in function? How do neurons influence other neurons? How do neurons become “wired together” during fetal development? How do neurons perform computation? Analysis Levels of Neuroscience Constellations of neurons form complex circuits that perform a common function: the visual system, or the motor system, each of which possesses its own distinct circuitry within the brain. Neuroscientists study how different neural circuits analyze sensory information, form perceptions of the external world, make decisions, and execute movements. The cost of ignorance: Nervous System Disorders Modern neuroscience research is expensive, but the cost of ignorance about the brain is far greater. Let’s look at a few brain disorders and examine their effects on society. Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are both characterized by progressive degeneration of specific neurons in the brain. Parkinson’s disease, which results in a crippling impairment of voluntary movement, currently affects approximated 500,000 Americans. Alzheimer’s disease leads to dementia, a state of confusion characterized by the loss of ability to learn new information and to recall previously acquired knowledge. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that dementia affects 10% of people over age 65 and 50% of people over age 85. The number of Americans with dementia totals well over 3 million. The annul cost of care of people with dementia is approximately $90 billion. The cost of ignorance: Nervous System Disorders Depression and schizophrenia are disorders of mood and thought. Depression is characterized by overwhelming feeling of dejection, worthlessness, and guilt (Fifteen million Americans). Schizophrenia is severe personality disorder characterized by delus