The major challenge of neurosciences is to analyze and assimilate the complexity of the nervous system to gain insight into the neural bases of higher cognitive functions and behaviors.
Beyond the economic benefits that the community could gain from stepping up support for research on neurosciences, our understanding of the nervous system is a major challenge and remains a "barrier" to knowledge.
The neural code, behaviors and thought
Modeling the "neural code" is crucial if we are to grasp the way in which the functional interaction of nerve cells between themselves and with the environment produces higher functions such as perception and cognition.
Development, plasticity and aging of the nervous system
Genes interact with the environment at every stage when the functional nervous system is forming and contributes to its plasticity over time. This approach is closely tied in with cracking the "neural code" and is primarily aimed at:
Interview of Philippe Amouyel, Director of the Alzheimer's Foundation of Scientific Cooperation.
The complementary nature of questions arising in the fundamental and clinical neuroscience field also stresses the need to reduce the space between fundamental discovery and therapeutic application. An objective subject to the development of translational research that will free up the practical application of scientific discoveries and vice versa.
Progress in our knowledge of the symptoms and causes of nervous system disorders has enabled us to determine their extent and frequency better.
Three main disorders can be distinguished:
The economic impact of these diseases accounts for a third of the human cost of diseases in Europe.
Directors : Etienne Hirsch, Bernard Poulain
Policy officer: Kim Nguyen Ba-Charvet
Project Manager GIS Autisme et Troubles du Neurodéveloppement : Paul Olivier
Project Manager ERANET NEURON : Frédérique Sueur