The Amazing Brain:Understanding The Basics

Course overview

The brain is an amazing organ. Weighing approximately three pounds and containing approximately 100 billion neurons, the brain controls all necessary functions of the body, receives and interprets information from the outside world, and embodies the essence of the mind. Intelligence, emotion, and memories are just a few of the processes governed by the brain. The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the components of the nervous system; describe the structures and functions of the brain; explain the functions of the two hemispheres of the brain; explain the role of neuron connections, synapses, and neurotransmitters; describe the effect of normal aging on the brain; describe the role of brain imaging and gene studies in the identification of neurological disorders; examine the effects of genes and the environment; and differentiate between current theories of neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, and epigenetics.