Medical Neuroscience

Medical Neuroscience is the study of the functional organization and neurophysiology of the human central nervous system, providing a neurobiological basis for understanding human behavior. In this course, you will become familiar with the organization of neural systems in the brain and spinal cord that mediate sensation, motivate bodily actions, and integrate sensorimotor signals with memory, emotion, and related cognition. The overall goal of this course is to provide a foundation for understanding the disturbances in sensation, action, and cognition that accompany injury, disease, or dysfunction of the central nervous system. The course will build on previous study of cellular and molecular biology, general physiology, and human anatomy as we focus on the central nervous system. This online course is designed to include all of the core concepts of neurophysiology and clinical neuroanatomy that would be presented in most first-year medical school neuroscience courses. There are, however, some topics (e.g., biological psychiatry) and a few learning experiences (e.g., hands-on brain dissection) that we teach in the corresponding course offered at the Duke University School of Medicine on campus that we do not attempt to replicate in Medical Neuroscience Online. However, our goal is to accurately represent the scope and rigor of a medical school-level course. This course is divided into six sections over 12 weeks, with an additional week for a comprehensive final exam: - Section 1, Neuroanatomy (Weeks 1-2). This section reviews the superficial anatomy of the human brain, its internal structure, and the overall organization of the sensory and motor systems in the brainstem and spinal cord. - Section 2, Neural Signaling (Weeks 3-4). This section reviews the fundamental mechanisms of neuronal excitability, signal generation and propagation, synaptic transmission, postsynaptic mechanisms of signal integration, and neural plasticity. - Section 3 Sensory Systems (weeks 5-7). Here you will study the general organization and function of the sensory systems that contribute to our sense of self in relation to the world around us: somatic sensory systems, proprioception, vision, hearing, and balance. - Section 4 Motor Systems (weeks 8-9). In this section, we will look at the organization and function of the mechanisms in the brain and spinal cord that control body movement. - Section 5 Brain Development (week 10). Next, we will look at the neurobiological mechanisms that shape the nervous system during embryonic development and the early postnatal period; we will also look at how the brain changes throughout life. - Section 6 Cognition (weeks 11-12). The course concludes with an overview of the association systems of the cerebral hemispheres,with an emphasis on the cortical networks that integrate perception, memory, and emotion in organizing behavior and planning for the future; we will also consider the brain systems that maintain homeostasis and regulate brain state.