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Drugs and the Brain

This course will focus on how psychoactive drugs modify nervous system function and human behavior. The neurochemical and behavioral techniques used to study drug action will be addressed. Students will learn how drugs are metabolized by the body (pharmacokinetics), act (pharmacodynamics) and affect behavior (psychopharmacology), gaining comprehensive understanding of the neurotransmitter systems of the brain and how different drugs affect these systems. The laboratory component will utilize the nematode C.

Neuroscience of Stress

When you get up to give a talk in front of your peers, your body responds just like an antelope being chased by a lion. Stress is an adaptive physiological response to stimuli that present an immediate threat to an organism present in all vertebrates. In humans this survival mechanism can be hijacked, wreaking havoc on the body and mind. This course will adopt an interdisciplinary approach to explore the science behind the relationship between stress, brain, body, and behavior. We will cover the biological mechanisms of stress and the neural pathways that coordinate the stress response.

Advanced Neuroscience

Builds on the fundamental concepts presented in BIOL/NRSCI 288 (Introduction to Neuroscience) and begins to examine neurobiology from a systems perspective. Topics include the biological basis of sexual orientation, sleep and dreaming, sleep disorders, epilepsy and seizures, motivation and addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, disorders of thought and volition, and mood disorders. Prerequisite: BIOL/NRSCI 288. Required for the neuroscience major. Offered every spring semester. Also offered as NRSCI 389.