Co-Instructors: Darin Woolpert and Kathleen Brumm
Instructor Emails: dwoolpert@ucsd.edu, kbrumm@ucsd.edu
Prerequisites: Biology is recommended, but all students with a genuine interest in what the brain is and how it works are welcome!

Course Description: The class will focus on typical brain function and outcomes following brain injury (such as stroke). An overview of the anatomy of the brain and the typical functions carried out by various regions will provide the groundwork for examining the deficits seen when neural tissue is damaged. Neural plasticity—the ability of the brain to form alternative pathways after injury—will be a major focal point. Other topics covered will include contrasts between strokes in adults and children, the differences between left and right hemisphere function, and a look at imaging techniques such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

We will also look at some case studies of problems that can arise as a result of damage to the brain. What does it mean if someone still has the ability to perceive color but has lost the ability to process it? How do we react to our own bodies when we lose proprioception, the sense of where our body is in space? What if we saw the world in two dimensions instead of three?

All of these different ways of thinking about the brain will be brought together in a way that is dynamic, challenging, and fun.

Course Objectives: By the end of the course, each student will be familiar with the different anatomical structures of the brain, such as the different lobes and hemispheres, and be aware of the cognitive processes each one performs. They will also have awareness of how brain development can help compensate for impairments resulting from neural damage. Students will also be comfortable with looking at brain images and identifying the orientation of the scan.

Expectations:

Students are expected to be enthusiastic about the course and work together to make a cooperative class environment. They should be punctual, complete reading and assignments on time, and be respectful of their fellow classmates.

Course Outline:

Week 1: Classroom: The anatomy and function of the brain

Lab: Identifying and labeling structures of the brain and what they do

Week 2: Classroom: Cognitive deficits in children and adults with brain damage

Lab: Connecting impairments to damaged brain regions and vice versa

Week 3: Classroom: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

Lab: Examining brain scans

Final project: exam on matching brain regions to cognitive functions, matching brain lesions to cognitive impairments, and identifying MRI scans

Field trip: Imaging center with MRI scanner