*Neurobiology 95hfw, Tuesdays 7 – 8:30 p.m., Lamont 240 / first week meeting Wednesday, September 5th, 7-8:30 p.m., BioLabs 1058
Many daily tasks, such as taking lecture notes, require us to quickly store information and then recall it within seconds to minutes. This seminar will explore the neural basis of such working memory and how it differs computationally and neurally from more long-term memory. Prerequisites: LPSA/LS 1a, MCB 80 and permission of the...
*Mind, Brain, and Behavior 93 (formerly Psychology 987f), Tuesdays 3-5 p.m. (first meeting September 7th), William James Hall 4
Focuses on waking, sleeping, and dreaming as examples of conscious states in both humans and animals. Original papers and books by Allan Hobson (The Dreaming Brain) and Antonio Damasio (The Feeling of What Happens...
*Mind, Brain, and Behavior 99z, Tuesdays 1-3 p.m., William James Hall 474
Examines human creativity from three perspectives: a) empirical research sources, b) case studies of eminent creative achievers, and c) ourselves as creative subjects. Topics include the definition and measurement of creativity, the creative process, the neuroscience of creativity, the creative personality, the role of family life and culture in creativity, the relationship of creativity to IQ, gender...
Film and television shows often capture the cutting edge of science, and they sometimes even anticipate future scientific advances. In this class, we'll use examples from film and television as an introduction to several hot topics in the field of neuroscience, such as mind control, mind reading, smart pills, and brain machine interfaces, which are all quickly moving from the realm of science fiction to reality. Will neuroscientists ever...
Economists have produced remarkable theories describing how people make decisions, but, until recently, their approach treated the human brain as a "black box." The introduction of neuroscience tools (brain imaging, neuropsychological studies, single-cell recording) and the discovery of evidence about the importance of emotional and social states in economic decision making are revealing new perspectives in the field of behavioral economics. This new discipline combines economics, psychology, and...
*Mind, Brain, and Behavior 91z, Mondays 3-5 p.m., William James Hall 6
Click here for syllabus from last year. Syllabus for this year will be similar but not the same.
Survey of neuropsychology of music. Examines psychological and neural substrates of music perception and cognition (pitch and consonance, melody and harmony, timbre, rhythm and meter...
Gives a more integrative understanding to sense of self using philosophical theories, neuropsychological quantitative cognitive tests, and neurological conditions involving self disorders. Considers two primary dimensions for sense of self: the diachronic self as based...
*Human Evolutionary Biology 1388, Mondays, 1-3 p.m., Peabody Museum 52H
Puberty, the transition to reproductive maturity, occurs in all sexually reproducing species; adolescence, however, is a human concept encompassing not only physiological but also social, behavioral, and perceptual shifts. This course takes an anthropological, biological, and phylogenetic approach to adolescence, asking: What elements of growth and maturation define adolescence,...
*Mind, Brain, and Behavior 95, Thursdays 4-6 p.m., Barker Center 024 (McFadden Room)
Seeks a comprehensive understanding of addiction and why it has been such a contentious topic. Readings and discussion address (1) the characteristics of addiction as revealed in biographies, epidemiological studies, clinical research, and experiments; (2) how drugs work; (3) genetic influences on drug use and behavior, including gene expression; (4) the nature of reward, focusing on...
David Melcher / University of Trento & Francesca Bacci / Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Trento and Rovereto)
*Mind, Brain, and Behavior S-91
The ability to create and appreciate artworks is one of the unique hallmarks of the human brain. This course will take advantage of the rich artistic heritage of Northern Italy by exploring the mind/brain through the arts. In particular, we will investigate visual art, from antiquity to contemporary with a special emphasis on medieval, Renaissance, and modern painting and sculpture. The course will involve a series of...