What Brains Are Made Of

Brains are composed of two main kinds of cells: neurons and glial cells. A neuron (or nerve cell) is a type of cell which is the basic building block of the nervous system. Neurons send and receive electrochemical messages to and from other neurons. The 50 billion or so nerve cells of the brain work together to coordinate everything from our heart beating to complex behaviors such as talking with a friend or feeling compassion.

Use the navigation menu to the left to learn more about neurons.