What does neurobiology mean?
Neurobiology is the branch of biology devoted to the nervous system. It examines how neurons and other nervous-system cells are built, how they communicate, and how neural activity contributes to sensation, movement, cognition, and behavior. Researchers in this field may study the brain at cellular, molecular, developmental, or systems levels, using techniques drawn from anatomy, physiology, genetics, and biochemistry. The discipline is important for understanding neurological disease, development, learning, and the biological bases of behavior. Although neurobiology and neuroscience overlap, neurobiology specifically emphasizes the biological and physiological dimensions of nervous-system research, while neuroscience can also incorporate cognitive, computational, and social perspectives.
nounNeurobiology is the branch of biology that studies the nervous system, including its structure, function, development, and interactions with other bodily systems. It combines biological approaches with knowledge of neural activity to understand how the brain and nervous system support behavior and bodily processes.
- The biological study of the nervous system and its functions.
"The course introduces students to neurobiology, the study of how nervous-system cells produce thoughts, sensations, and movements."
"Advances in neurobiology have improved our understanding of memory and learning."
"The research team used neurobiology techniques to study how the brain responds to environmental changes."
Neurobiology sits at the meeting point of cells, circuits, and behavior: it asks how biological machinery gives rise to everything from a reflex to a thought.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does neurobiology come from?
The word was formed in the 19th century by combining “neuro,” from Greek neuron, meaning “nerve” or “nerve cell,” with “biology,” from Greek bios, meaning “life.” Its components have continued to produce related terms such as neurology, neuroscience, and neural. The prefix reflects the Greek word neuron, literally “nerve,” and is widely used in English for structures and processes relating to the nervous system.
Related word forms
How neurobiology is actually used
The term is formal and academic. It is narrower than neuroscience, emphasizing biological and physiological approaches to the nervous system.
Easily confused with neurobiology
Neurobiology focuses specifically on biological aspects of the nervous system, whereas neuroscience is broader and may also include computational, cognitive, and social approaches to neural processes.