NSCI 111 - Drugs, Sex, and Rock and Roll: When Pleasures become Problems in the Brain

FC NSMA QFR

4 credits
Gaining rewards, such as food and mates, is an essential brain function key to survival. However, the same brain circuits that drive seeking these rewards are hijacked by drugs of abuse. This course will dive into the varied categories, mechanisms, and results of drugs in the brain. Students will learn the basics of brain function and anatomy, and we will model organisms using software that use simple brain circuits to navigate to rewards. The goal of this course will be to provide a basic foundation of knowledge in neuroscience and to provide students verbal and written scientific communication skills.

This course is appropriate for new students.