WASHINGTON, D.C. — Integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into neuroscience is changing how scientists engage with data, improving our understanding of the brain and leading to better ways of training computational models. The findings will be presented at Neuroscience 2026, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
The human brain contains approximately 86 billion nerve cells that form trillions of connections. To better understand this dynamic and complex system, neuroscientists are turning to AI. AI tools provide the analytical power to process and uncover patterns in vast amounts of data, as well as simulate brain processes. At the same time, insights into the workings of the brain provide inspiration for improving computational models. AI applications in neuroscience show transformative potential to advance research and impact people’s lives.
Today’s new findings show that:
- Studying artificial neural networks and fruit flies revealed a shared learning principle for forming flexible, robust memories (Guanglong Sun, Tsinghua University)
- A new free, open-source AI tool lets neuroscientists with no programming experience analyze complex genomic data by asking questions in plain English (Vivek Swarup, University of California, Irvine)
- By collaboratively developing data standards, the neuroscience community is breaking down data silos, streamlining workflows, and shaping the future of brain data sharing (Oliver Ruebel, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
“The bidirectional connections between neuroscience and AI go back a long time,” says event moderator Satrajit Ghosh, PhD, a computational neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who uses neuroimaging and machine learning to create predictive models for human health. “These findings show how AI can help us understand the relationships between brain structure and function, as well as appreciate the complex connections between genes, environments, learning, and behavior across species.”
For complete access to Neuroscience 2026 in person and online, request media credentials. This research was supported by national funding agencies, including the National Institutes of Health and private funding organizations. Find out more about AI and the brain on BrainFacts.
Tuesday, November 17, 2026
10–11 a.m. EST
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Room 202B, and online for registered media
View the full schedule of press events on EurekAlert!
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The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) is an organization of nearly 30,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and the nervous system.