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Areas of Research at the Neurological Sciences Institute

Disorders of the Brain and Nervous System
Disease or injury of the brain, spinal cord and other parts of the nervous system can affect the very essence of who we are. Yet treatments for most neurological disorders are inadequate, and cures are rare. Most of us will be touched by neurological disorders in our lifetime, either directly or through a loved one. Researchers at NSI are dedicated to understanding the underlying causes of a wide variety of neurological disorders in order to develop new treatments and cures, including:

Alzheimers disease and dementias
Cerebellar ataxia
Cerebral palsy
Dizziness, vertigo, and balance disorders
Epilepsy and tremor
Gait and walking disorders
Head Injury
Huntington’s disease
Hypertension/high blood pressure
Learning disorders

Memory loss
Movement disorders
Multiple sclerosis
Neuronal (brain cell) dysfunction
Pain
Parkinson’s disease
Stroke
Synaptic dysfunction
Vestibular disorders—Meniere’s disease
Vision and eye disorders

The Developing, Changing, Sensing, and Coordinating Brain
Our brains receive and process a constant flood of information from our senses about the state of the world around us. Decisions are made, reflexes are initiated, memories are formed, movements are commanded. Researchers at NSI study the normal brain and how it performs its amazing tasks. Among the many studies of how our brains develop and function normally are investigations of:

Birdsong and vocal learning
Balance and posture coordination
Eye movements
Gait and locomotion
Learning and memory
Metabolic regulation—temperature, weight
Movement control

Neuroimmune system
Neuroplasticity
Proprioception — spatial orientation
Sleep
Vestibular function
Vision

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