Medical Neuroscience

Medical Neuroscience explores the functional organization and neurophysiology of the human central nervous system, while providing a neurobiological framework for understanding human behavior. In this course, you will discover the organization of the neural systems in the brain and spinal cord that mediate sensation, motivate bodily action, and integrate sensorimotor signals with memory, emotion and related faculties of cognition. The overall goal of this course is to provide the foundation for understanding the impairments of sensation, action and cognition that accompany injury, disease or dysfunction in the central nervous system. The course will build upon knowledge acquired through prior studies of cell and molecular biology, general physiology and human anatomy, as we focus primarily on the central nervous system.This online course is designed to include all of the core concepts in neurophysiology and clinical neuroanatomy that would be presented in most first-year neuroscience courses in schools of medicine. However, there are some topics (e.g., biological psychiatry) and several learning experiences (e.g., hands-on brain dissection) that we provide in the corresponding course offered in the Duke University School of Medicine on campus that we are not attempting to reproduce in Medical Neuroscience online. Nevertheless, our aim is to faithfully present in scope and rigor a medical school caliber course experience.

This course comprises six units of content organized into 12 weeks, with an additional week for a comprehensive final exam:

• Unit 1 Neuroanatomy (weeks 1-2). This unit covers the surface anatomy of the human brain, its internal structure, and the overall organization of sensory and motor systems in the brainstem and spinal cord.
• Unit 2 Neural signaling (weeks 3-4). This unit addresses the fundamental mechanisms of neuronal excitability, signal generation and propagation, synaptic transmission, post synaptic mechanisms of signal integration, and neural plasticity.
• Unit 3 Sensory systems (weeks 5-7). Here, you will learn the overall organization and function of the sensory systems that contribute to our sense of self relative to the world around us: somatic sensory systems, proprioception, vision, audition, and balance senses.
• Unit 4 Motor systems (weeks 8-9). In this unit, we will examine the organization and function of the brain and spinal mechanisms that govern bodily movement.
• Unit 5 Brain Development (week 10). Next, we turn our attention to the neurobiological mechanisms for building the nervous system in embryonic development and in early postnatal life; we will also consider how the brain changes across the lifespan.
• Unit 6 Cognition (weeks 11-12). The course concludes with a survey of the association systems of the cerebral hemispheres, with an emphasis on cortical networks that integrate perception, memory and emotion in organizing behavior and planning for the future; we will also consider brain systems for maintaining homeostasis and regulating brain state.

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Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Getting Started in Medical Neuroscience
Neuroanatomy: Introducing the Human Brain
Week 2
Neuroanatomy: Surface Anatomy of the Human CNS
Neuroanatomy: Internal Anatomy of the Human CNS
Week 3
Neural Signaling: Electrical Excitability and Signal Propagation
Week 4
Neural Signaling: Synaptic Transmission and Synaptic Plasticity
Week 5
Sensory Systems: General Principles and Somatic Sensation
Week 6
Sensory Systems: The Visual System
Week 7
Sensory Systems: Audition, Vestibular Sensation and the Chemical Senses
Week 8
Movement and Motor Control: Lower and Upper Motor Neurons
Movement and Motor Control: Understanding the Paradigm of Eye Movements
Week 9
Movement and Motor Control: Modulation of Movement
Movement and Motor Control: Visceral Motor Control
Week 10
The Changing Brain: The Brain Across the Lifespan
Week 11
Complex Brain Functions: Associational Cortex
Week 12
Complex Brain Functions: Sleep, Emotion and Addiction
Week 13
Comprehensive Final Exam
Closing Remarks

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?

No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Reviews

Very comprehensive and in-depth! Dr. White explains things nicely. A wonderful part of this course is that it always links the science of nervous systems to the clinical symptoms.

I have not really taken any Neuroscience courses and I have to say this was very challenging with my already full-time load at school but I did it! Yay! I love Dr. White he is an awesome professor!

I've always wanted to attend a course like this which offers such a detailed description of the fundamentals of neuroscience. Glad I found it and sure as hell recommended it to all my friends.

A truly excellent course, presented in an engaging format by Professor Len White. Many new avenues are now open for me to explore as a result of gaining this new level of knowledge.