Brain and Central Nervous System

The brain performs an incredible number of tasks and nervous system is a network of specialized tissues that regulates thoughts, sensations, basic body functions and more. Explore the many functions of the brain & the central nervous system.

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Some bodily phenomena make sense. An ice cream headache, for example — you know what you did to get there, you know you deserved it, and you have absolutely no regrets. Others are a bit of a mystery, like when you stand up quickly and see a dizzying array of stars.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

We've all heard of the brain's gray matter, but what about the white matter? What does it do?

By Christopher Filley

The director of the Aphasia Research Laboratory at Boston University explains the condition forcing Bruce Willis to retire from acting, including what treatment options could be available.

By Swathi Kiran

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Many things play a role in how our bodies acclimate to super-cold temperatures, including our own habits, genetics and even brown fat.

By Allison Troutner

Savant syndrome is a rare condition in which someone with significant mental disabilities demonstrates certain unexplained extraordinary abilities, such as playing music or remembering prodigious amounts of information.

By Jesslyn Shields

Proprioception refers to our ability to perceive our body's position and how we move through space. It's often considered our sixth sense because we do it without thinking about it.

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

Although the inability to picture things in your head would seem to be a hinderance, some experts say it's definitely not a creativity killer and actually can have some advantages.

By Alia Hoyt

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The cerebellum is the part of our brain that controls voluntary movements like posture, balance, coordination and speech.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The hypothalamus is a tiny area of your brain that keeps everything — hunger, thirst, sleep, energy, mood — in balance.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Located in the temporal lobe, this tiny horseshoe-shaped organ plays a massive role in both the storage of long-term memories and the creation of new ones.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

The amygdala is a small part of the human brain that most humans have probably never heard of.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

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Listed as an organ donor on your driver's license? That designation does not include your brain.

By Chris Opfer

Sudden savant syndrome can make you a math whiz or musical prodigy instantaneously. But how?

By Jesslyn Shields

It happens to almost everyone and there are lots of possible explanations.

By Michelle Konstantinovsky

Learn to recognize the symptoms of a concussion and what causes them. Worried that your child has a concussion? Learn the symptoms of a concussion and how to treat it.

By Dr. Rob Danoff

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Teens brains really function differently than adult brains. Learn about the development of teens’ brains in this article.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Whenever you delve into the realm of the paranormal, you're bound to feel the heat of argument between skeptics and believers. Why not end the argument once and for all and locate the part of the brain that may (or may not) control ESP?

By Heather Quinlan

Memory, the mental process of bringing into the conscious mind material that has been learned and retained.

Instead of just giving in to your food cravings, how about nourishing your brain? Take a look at the foods that kick-start your smarts. Here's a hint -- that candy bowl's not going to help.

By Molly Edmonds

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Everything we do is controlled and enabled by electrical signals running through our bodies. But how are those signals produced?

By Julia Layton & Mark Mancini

A healthy brain works better longer, keeping memory accurate and thought processes clear. Learn more about the benefits and options of brain teasers and mind games on your health.

By Madeline Roberts Vann, MPH

The brain is a complex grouping of nerve cells and other structures that help us think, react to the environment, make decisions and carry them out. Take an in depth look into one of the most interesting parts of the human body.

By DiscoveryHealth.com writers

What does your brain really look like? It depends on how it's imaged. Take a look at all the different ways we can view the human brain.

By Sara Cheshire

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You touch a hot object and immediately drop it. It happens so quickly you don't even think about it. How does this happen? Your nervous system coordinated everything.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

Finding out what shape your memory is in should be the first step in trying to improve it. Test your memory to find out if those memory glitches are normal.

By Richard C. Mohs