Annual Review 2011: Research challenge 2 - Understanding the brain

We support research to improve understanding of how the brain functions and to find improved approaches for treating brain and mental health disorders.

New treatments are entering clinical use, such as a new drug that has been shown to help people with inherited blindness recover some of their vision, a story featured in this year's ‘Annual Review’. Other highlights of the year include a new research technique that is helping to untangle the complexity of the brain, a play called '2401 Objects' about a much-studied man who had surgery for epilepsy, and two studies looking at pain relief and stroke damage in the brain.

Further resources

Here are links to information relating to each of this year's 'Annual Review' stories in research challenge 2:

Recovered vision (page 25)

Untangling the complexity of the brain (page 26)

2401 Objects (page 27)

Sunburn reveals possible new targets for pain relief (page 27)

Brain cells protect themselves from stroke damage (page 27)

Image: Artwork of the iris and pupil. Credit: Pasieka/SPL