Course Details

On this journey through the brain, mysteries of how the brain functions to make us human are revealed. This course emphasizes brain systems responsible for cognitive processes through an introduction to the history of cognitive neuroscience, the anatomy of the brain, basic neurophysiological functions, and current methods used to study brain-behavior relationships. The course proceeds to address theories and data concerning the following cognitive activities: perception, attention, action planning, memory, hearing, language, calculation, executive control, social and emotional processes, and development.

This course balances current theories of cognition with evidence from normal people and from patients with localized brain damage. Normal people are tested while performing cognitive tasks: one set of tests monitors electrical activity generated by the brain as in the electroencephalogram (EEG), while another monitors chemical activity during brain scans as in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); a second set of tests disables brain areas momentarily with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to determine the loss of cognitive function. Patients with localized damage help establish whether or not those regions take part in specific cognitive systems. The convergence of evidence from these sources helps define brain systems underlying each cognitive process.

This course is applicable towards the following certificate(s):
*Basic Biology for the Classroom

Visit our Certificates page for more information.

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•   Self-paced coursework
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•   Electronic transcripts available for a nominal fee
•   Earn semester credits from a WASC accredited university
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