Semester 1: This is the first of two separate modules introducing the non-specialist to that most enigmatic of organs, the brain. The course will begin with introductory lectures, and will be accessible to all students with a GCSE or higher in a biological or general science subject. Students will learn how the brain is organised, from the molecular through to the cellular and anatomical levels; how cells communicate and how drugs can interact with this. How do we study brain function, both in the clinic and in the laboratory? Finally, an overview of various neurological and psychiatric disease states will be given. What treatment options are available, from drugs to surgery to counselling?
Semester 2: Building on the knowledge gained in the first module, the second module will consider individual neurological and psychiatric disorders in greater depth. These will include epilepsy, stroke, movement disorders such as Parkinson's Disease and Huntington¿s Disease, dementia including Alzheimer's Disease, Creuzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, mood disorders, schizophrenia and addiction. Students will also consider how the brain learns and remembers, and whether it is possible to produce drugs that make us smarter. Mechanisms involved in the perception of pain will be discussed, and whether it is always a useful sensation.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this module the student will be able to: describe the broad structure of the brain at an anatomical, cellular and molecular level; explain the mechanisms by which brain cells communicate and by which drugs may affect the functioning of the brain; compare how brain function is studied in the clinic and in the laboratory; describe the biological basis of common neurological and psychiatric disorders; compare alternative approaches to the treatment of neurological and psychiatric illnesses.