Our researchers look at the brain from birth, through adulthood, to old age, seeking to develop new therapies for complex, debilitating diseases. We know that each person’s brain changes as they go through life and the brain is the most complex organ in the human body. Most of research into brain health is about trying to find out how changes occur, what influences these changes and what effect this has on a person’s health. Scientists working in the College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine study the brain from many perspectives. We have teams focused on mental health, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, dementia, stroke and motor neuron disease. The more we understand about how the brain works, the better chance we have of developing new therapies for complex, debilitating diseases. What we doOur researchers look at the brain from birth, through adulthood, to old age, seeking to answer fundamental questions like: how does the brain develop and function?how does the brain change over a person’s lifetime?how can the brain be protected and repaired?how does a healthy brain work?how does a brain change in connection with disease?can we do anything to prevent brain diseases?Neuroscientists work to understand how the brain’s billions of neurons and cells of the nervous system interact to control behaviour and brain health. We also study sociological aspects of brain science and psychiatry.We have a particular focus on translating our research from the laboratory to the clinic. Our research aims to improve the speed of diagnosis, develop more effective treatments of brain conditions or improve quality of life for people affected by stroke, neurodegenerative disorders, mental illness, cancer, toxicity or trauma. Where we do itEdinburgh Neuroscience is research community drawn from right across the University of Edinburgh, with the majority of groups based in research centres within Edinburgh Medical School. This includes the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences and the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences. Our work into the sociology of neuroscience takes place in the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society.The University also has a number of specialist research centres including :The UK Dementia Research Institute at EdinburghEuan MacDonald Centre for MND researchAnne Rowling Regenerative Neurology ClinicMuir Maxwell Epilepsy CentreSMC Research Centre for Learning Difficulties.The Patrick Wild Centre for Research into Autism, Fragile X Syndrome and Intellectual DisabilitiesThe Simons Initiative for the Developing Brain ImpactDiscovering the smell of Parkinson's StudyBSc in NeuroscienceMSc by Research in Integrative Neuroscience Edinburgh Neuroscience PhD gatewayPhD in Discovery Brain SciencesPhD in Clinical Brain Sciences Proposed new programmeWe would like to hear your views on a potential new postgraduate opportunity in brain health.Complete the survey ExploreAnne Rowling Regenerative Neurology ClinicCentre for Biomedicine, Self and SocietyCentre for Discovery Brain SciencesCentre for Clinical Brain SciencesEdinburgh NeuroscienceEuan McDonald CentreMuir Maxwell Epilepsy CentrePatrick Wild CentreSimons Initiative for the Developing BrainUK Dementia Research Institute at Edinburgh Support our work This article was published on 2024-09-09