“The Brain for Not-So-Dummies”Osher Lifelong Learning InstituteDuke Continuing StudiesDuke University

Eric W. Harris, PhD.

Why am I teaching this class?

What qualifications do I have?PhD In Physiology with focus in Neuroscience - recovery of function after brain damagePost-Doctoral work - neuronal “plasticity” and pharmacology of brain cell communication15 Years in pharmaceutical industry research- new drugs & mechanisms of action for epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s Disease, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s Disease12 Years at a CRO doing drug development: designing clinical trials, interacting with FDA on behalf of companies developing drugs for stroke, epilepsy, Huntington’s Disease, Pain, Tourette’s Syndrome, depression among others.

What is my motivation?Retired, pursuing other interests (“hobby farming”)Still passionate about science, science education, “giving back”, and my area of greatest knowledge and experience is neuroscience (or building chicken coops?)And there is increasing interest in the brain…

Good News: lots of info out there! Bad News: lots of info out there!

Caveats

I am not expert in all areas of neuroscience (no-one is). There is new information every day, so my presentation may not be

perfectly up-to-date. I will say “I don’t know” if I don’t, and “I’m not sure” if I’m not. I try to avoid stating as fact things that, even if likely, remain to be

proven (appropriately skeptical?). I welcome new ideas that can be scrutinized scientifically I welcome having my presentation “challenged” scientifically or

logically My goals are to help you understand and question things you see and

hear about the brain

Course Overview

Week 1: Basic structure and functions of the brain and brain cells

Week 2: Brain dynamics (development, learning and memory, “plasticity”, aging, response to injury)

Week 3: Pathophysiology of selected brain disorders

Week 4: Therapies for brain disorders

Week 5: The fallibility of the human brain

Week 6: A “hot topic” related to the brain - TBD(e.g., “Brain Training”, or the placebo effect, or DSM-V, or …?)

Requests

Silence cell phones etc.

Please save questions that are not about the presentation, and comments, stories etc. until the end of a class

Please do interrupt me with “clarifying questions” about the material being presented

Please don’t “side-talk” – it challenges the presenter’s ADD…

Please do give feedback, suggestions, questions Send to ask.eric.about.neuro@gmail.com Or, hand them to the Class Assistant

Please understand if I can’t accommodate all suggestions

Week 1- Basic structure and functions of the brain and brain cells

Things to keep in mind:

All human brains share some features, but are also unique because of their genetics, environment, and experiences.

Our brains are constantly changing and “self-organizing”, physically and functionally

Much of what goes on in our brains is “subconscious” There is a great deal of knowledge about what’s in the brain, but little

detailed understanding of how it does much of the “interesting stuff”

The Brain is part of the Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain

Further Nervous System Subdivision

The Human Brain

End of Part 1 See Part 2 for more