New high-density neural recording technologies enable brain-wide, real-time monitoring of tens of thousands of neurons in awake primates, providing unprecedented resolution of neural dynamics underlying cognition and behavior. Complementary research elucidates cholinergic neurons’ crucial role in regulating cerebral blood flow and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics, advancing understanding of neurovascular coupling. These breakthroughs, achieved through innovative microelectrode arrays, optogenetics, and in vivo imaging, pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies addressing neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury recovery.