The brain is perhaps the most complex physical object known to mankind. It is responsible for “elementary” behaviours such as walking, more “complex” processes such as learning and memory, and is, arguably, the seat of consciousness. This course is an attempt at demystifying the brain, and discussing some (but certainly not all) of the wonderful functions that this pound of flesh allows.

The course will be engaging and interactive - many historical titbits, fun examples, vivid images, and clinical cases will be shared. Students will participate in cool demonstrations related to neuroscience concepts such as signalling, perception and action. The course also involves ‘going science’ by collecting data on a simple behavioural task and trying to analyse that data to gain deeper insight into nervous system function. 

If the COVID situation permits, students will also visit the NIMHANS brain museum or a neuroscience lab.

The important areas that will be covered in this course are

• Foundational principles- structure and signalling in the brain

• How different circuits come together to form systems like- Vision, Touch and Pain, Movement

• How learning and memory work- how is learning to ride a bicycle different from remembering a list of things to buy at the grocery store

• Diseases and disorders such as Stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Schizophrenia- and what they reveal about how much we still don’t know about the brain.