Few people realize the number and diversity of diseases which affect the nervous system. Brain and spinal cord disorders affect millions of people and are the most common causes of disability. These conditions have many features in common, and several are targets of active investigation in Hope Center laboratories. Some diseases begin in childhood (such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy), whereas others have typical onset in adulthood (such as stroke and multiple sclerosis). The neurodegenerative diseases also include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. All of these diseases are marked by damage and dysfunction of the brain and spinal cord cells, called neurons.

There are many common principles which unite the search for treatments for brain diseases. Repair of the damaged nervous system requires understanding of how genes, molecules and cells interact in the normal brain (molecular and cellular neuroscience), how brain connections are formed before birth and are modified by experience (developmental neuroscience), and how complex networks function to determine behavior (systems neuroscience). Some therapeutic approaches focus on enhancing the nervous system's own repair mechanisms, while other approaches involve administration of novel drugs, cells, or behaviors. For more information on neurological terminology and disorders please visit the Glossary of neurological terms and disorders.

The Hope Center aims to facilitate interactions of investigators from across the University; many working collaborations include scientists from basic and clinical departments.