Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour

Understanding mind and brain

 
 100,000,000,000 neurons with 100,000 kilometers of con­nections between them, with a storage capacity exceeding that of a supercomputer. That's the amazing human brain!

Neuroimaging techniques help us understand how all these inconceivable numbers of neurons cooperate to per­ceive, represent and act on the world. The brain operates as an orchestra without a conductor. To be able to produce the right cognitive melody, different neural ‘players' must coordinate their activities, each providing the right contribution at exactly the right time. At the Donders Institute we work on solving this puzzle. How is the brain able to achieve such a feat - apparently without central coordination?

The Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour at Radboud University Nijmegen is a leading centre of research expertise with a strong international reputation. We're a relatively young institute with an enterprising spirit and an excellent track record of research on Brain, Cognition and Behaviour. Our scientific output is prolific and renowned for its quality.

Over 500 researchers work here on unravelling the mechanisms of the brain. Thanks to the integration of basic sciences in the institute, there is also a strong theoretical approach. Our research includes cognition and behaviour in humans as well as on the neuronal substrate, including the genetic, molecular and cellular processes that underlie cognition and behaviour. We cover the full spectrum of research ‘from Molecule to Man'. Within this range we focus on four main themes:

 

Language and Communication 

Perception, Action and Control

Learning, Memory and Plasticity

Brain Networks and Neuronal Communication