A fact that does surprise many Americans is the likelihood that each of us will be affected at some point in our lives, either personally or with a family member's struggle, with a neurological disorder.

One of the reasons for this surprise, doctors point out, is that many people do not realize the range of brain-related diseases and disorders. According to the Society for Neuroscience, Alzheimer's disease, addiction, learning disorders, Huntington's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, depression, and epilepsy are all brain-related diseases or disorders. In all, disorders of the brain and central nervous system affect an estimated 50 million Americans each year.

What We've Learned

Neuroscience researchers have learned more about the workings of the brain in the past decade than they have in the previous century. The advent of brain-imaging, a non-invasive technique that allows scientists to observe the brain in action, has revolutionized neuroscience research, allowing scientists to see firsthand how this complex "computer" controls normal functions and what goes awry in such conditions as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. Other discoveries include:

• Creation of a new generation of drugs for the treatment of migraine headaches, depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy.

• Identification of genes responsible for Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Lou Gehrig's disease.

• Identification of brain structures that control emotions, conscious memory, and the processing of visual and other sensory information.

• Identification of specific "time windows" and activities for maximizing the development of the young mind.

These are just a few examples of the type of medical breakthroughs that lie ahead:

• New treatments to promote nerve regeneration due to stroke, spinal cord injury, and other forms of brain injury.

• Discovery of agents to block addictions to cocaine and other substances.

• Development of drugs that can enhance memory and help to optimize "fitness" of the aging brain.

While cancer and heart diseases are the leading causes of death, they affect primarily the middle-aged or elderly, and are generally of short duration relative to life span. By contrast, many brain disorders begin at birth or in early adulthood, and are usually long-lasting. Research that can help prevent, treat, or reverse disorders of the brain will have a tremendous impact on society.

Moreover, brain research is making important strides in understanding the healthy brain, with great promise in maximizing human potential and quality of life for all Americans-from maximizing learning and development for the very young to maintaining memory and intellectual stamina in the elderly.

For more information about the progress that brain researchers are making in unraveling the mysteries of the mind and delivering treatments for neurological disorders affecting millions, visit the Society for Neuroscience's Web site: http://www.sfn.org. (NAPSI)