“The Brain for Not-So-Dummies” Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Duke Continuing Studies Duke...
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Transcript of “The Brain for Not-So-Dummies” Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Duke Continuing Studies Duke...
“The Brain for Not-So-Dummies”Osher Lifelong Learning InstituteDuke Continuing StudiesDuke University
Eric W. Harris, PhD.
Why am I teaching this class?
What qualifications do I have?PhD In Physiology with focus in Neuroscience - recovery of function after brain damagePost-Doctoral work - neuronal “plasticity” and pharmacology of brain cell communication15 Years in pharmaceutical industry research- new drugs & mechanisms of action for epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s Disease12 Years at a CRO doing drug development: designing clinical trials, interacting with FDA on behalf of companies developing drugs for stroke, epilepsy, Huntington’s Disease, Pain, Tourette’s Syndrome, depression among others.
What is my motivation?Retired, pursuing other interests (“hobby farming”)Still passionate about science, science education, “giving back”, and my area of greatest knowledge and experience is neuroscience (or building chicken coops?)And there is increasing interest in the brain…
Good News: lots of info out there! Bad News: lots of info out there!
Caveats
I am not expert in all areas of neuroscience (no-one is). There is new information every day, so my presentation may not be
perfectly up-to-date. I will say “I don’t know” if I don’t, and “I’m not sure” if I’m not. I try to avoid stating as fact things that, even if likely, remain to be
proven (appropriately skeptical?). I welcome new ideas that can be scrutinized scientifically I welcome having my presentation “challenged” scientifically or
logically My goals are to help you understand and question things you see and
hear about the brain
Course Overview
Week 1: Basic structure and functions of the brain and brain cells
Week 2: Brain dynamics (development, learning and memory, “plasticity”, aging, response to injury)
Week 3: Pathophysiology of selected brain disorders
Week 4: Therapies for brain disorders
Week 5: The fallibility of the human brain
Week 6: A “hot topic” related to the brain - TBD(e.g., “Brain Training”, or the placebo effect, or DSM-V, or …?)
Requests
Silence cell phones etc.
Please save questions that are not about the presentation, and comments, stories etc. until the end of a class
Please do interrupt me with “clarifying questions” about the material being presented
Please don’t “side-talk” – it challenges the presenter’s ADD…
Please do give feedback, suggestions, questions Send to [email protected] Or, hand them to the Class Assistant
Please understand if I can’t accommodate all suggestions
Week 1- Basic structure and functions of the brain and brain cells
Things to keep in mind:
All human brains share some features, but are also unique because of their genetics, environment, and experiences.
Our brains are constantly changing and “self-organizing”, physically and functionally
Much of what goes on in our brains is “subconscious” There is a great deal of knowledge about what’s in the brain, but little
detailed understanding of how it does much of the “interesting stuff”
The Brain is part of the Central Nervous System (CNS)
Brain
Further Nervous System Subdivision
The Human Brain
End of Part 1 See Part 2 for more