Neuroscience

Courses

Some of these courses are offered in alternate years. Scheduling decisions should be made in consultation with your academic advisor. For a description of courses and requirements, see the Cedar Crest College Catalog.

NEU 200 Introduction to Neuroscience
This introductory course covers many aspects of neuroscience including synaptic transmission, psychopharmacology, sensory systems, cognition, and learning. Prerequisites: Biology 121/122; Psychology 100 or permission of the instructor.

NEU 220 Sensation and Perception
The course will begin with by examining the startling proposition that we have no direct experience of reality. Instead, we create a mental model of the outside world through the combined processes of sensation and perception. Sensation includes all of the biological mechanisms that detect physical stimuli and translate them into neural activity. Perception refers to the processes the brain uses to actively interpret sensory information, and form a representation of the external world.

NEU 330 Neuropharmacology
How do neurons transmit chemical signals? What are the important signaling systems in the brain, and what are their normal and abnormal functions? How do drugs interact with these systems to alter mental states? What are the benefits and dangers of psychoactive drug use and abuse? Will understanding the biological basis of psychiatric disorders change our concepts of psychiatric illness? These are some of the questions that we will address in this course.

NEU 340 Neuroscience Methods
This course will introduce students to several of the methods currently used by neuroscientists including electrophysiology, histological and molecular techniques.

NEU 368 Disease of the Nervous System

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at kkfitzge@cedarcrest.edu