neuroscience

IPA/ˈnjʊərəʊsaɪəns/
KK[njˈʊrosˌaɪəns]IPA/ˈnʊrəʊsaɪəns/

neuroscience — noun

1. a scientific discipline that explores how the body's network of nerves, the spin

1.nounB2
Definition

a scientific discipline that explores how the body's network of nerves, the spinal cord, and the brain work together — their structure, function, and development — and how these relate to behaviour, thought, learning, and disease.

Example

Shanti chose to study neuroscience to understand how memory works in the brain.

uncountable noun for a field of academic study

A breakthrough in neuroscience has helped doctors treat spinal cord injuries more effectively.

Common collocations
  • cognitive neuroscience
  • clinical neuroscience
  • computational neuroscience
  • neuroscience research
  • neuroscience lab
  • breakthrough in neuroscience

Usage Note

Often used attributively before nouns: neuroscience research, a neuroscience lab, a neuroscience degree. The field covers many sub-disciplines including cognitive, clinical, and computational neuroscience.

Common Mistakes

I studied neuroscience because I want to be a psychologist.
I studied psychology because I want to be a psychologist.
Psychology focuses on behaviour and mental processes; neuroscience focuses on the biological structure and function of the nervous system.

Word family

  • neuroscientist
    nounC1
  • neuroscientific
    adjectiveC1
  • neurobiology
    nounC2
  • neurology
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Neuroscience is the broadest of these terms, covering any scientific study of the nervous system. Neurology is a medical specialty — neurologists are doctors who diagnose and treat diseases of the brain and nerves. Psychology focuses on mental processes and behaviour, without necessarily examining the underlying biology. Neurobiology is a narrower branch of neuroscience that specifically looks at the biology of nerve cells and circuits. For example, a neuroscientist might study how brain regions communicate during decision-making, while a neurologist would treat a patient with a stroke, and a psychologist might help someone manage anxiety through talk therapy.

neurologypsychology ↗neurobiology

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • advances in neuroscience
  • a degree in neuroscience
  • department of neuroscience

Prepositions

  • in neuroscience

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word combines 'neuro-', from the Greek 'neuron' meaning 'nerve', with 'science', from Latin 'scientia' meaning 'knowledge'. The term first appeared in English in the early 1960s as the field of brain research grew into a distinct scientific discipline.