Your breath thickens, your senses become sharper, and your palms start to sweat. All of us probably know what stress feels like, but did you know what effects stress can have on your brain development or your behaviour? Especially after the pandemic, our brains had to suddenly deal with new types of stressors such as social isolation or long hours spent on countless zoom meetings. In this course, we will discuss what effects short- and long- term stress can have on our brain development and what different types of stressors can do to our neuronal connections. We will discuss human as well as animal research studies, study brain anatomy from 3D models, and learn about the links between stress and mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
Furthermore, in the second part of the course we will discuss the term Neurodiversity and how it links to ADHD, dyslexia, or Autism Spectrum Disorders. We will not only delve into the most recent neuroscientific research but also learn about the historical and social context of the notion that there is no singular correct way of thinking, learning, or behaving and how differences should not be stereotypically viewed as deficits in our society.
This course is for everyone who is passionate about science and wants to better understand the amazing underpinnings of our brains, but also wants to learn more about related topics such as history of science, education, economy, sociology, or sexism still sometimes present in current scientific research.
In this course, we will conduct couple of neuroexperiments and together we will analyze some important literature in the field of Neuroscience. You don’t need any prior scientific knowledge – I will teach you everything you need to know about neuroscience in this course.