neurophysiological

Neurophysiological is an adjective relating to neurophysiology, the branch of neuroscience that studies the functioning of the nervous system. It encompasses the electrical, chemical, and metabolic processes that underlie neural activity, from ion channels in individual neurons to the dynamics of large neural networks and their relation to perception, movement, emotion, and cognition.

Neurophysiological methods include invasive and noninvasive techniques. Electrophysiology records electrical activity from neurons and neural populations, using intracellular or extracellular recordings, single-unit and multi-unit analyses, and patch-clamp methods. Noninvasive approaches include electroencephalography (EEG), magnetoencephalography (MEG), electromyography (EMG), and nerve conduction studies, as well as evoked potentials. Functional imaging methods such as functional MRI and positron emission tomography offer indirect measures of neural activity. Biochemical and molecular approaches, including neurochemical assays, and computational modeling also contribute to neurophysiological inquiry.

Applications span clinical and research domains. Clinically, neurophysiology supports diagnosis and monitoring in epilepsy, sleep disorders, neuropathies, spinal cord and brain injuries, and anesthesia management. In research, it advances understanding of sensory processing, motor control, autonomic function, and higher cognitive processes, and underpins neuromodulation and brain–computer interface development.

Limitations include variability across individuals, state dependence (sleep, attention, anesthesia), and artifacts. Integrating data across scales remains challenging, but neurophysiological evidence continues to inform theories of brain organization and mechanisms of neural computation.