Discuss why, how, and what of studying the human brain
Course mechanics and grading details
Story About Bob
Overview
A true story about a friend (Bob) who experienced a medical emergency while staying over at the instructor's house.
Discusses themes about the human mind, brain organization, and recovery after brain damage.
Medical Incident
Bob was staying over before a conference.
In the morning, Bob collapsed and was found unresponsive.
Emergency responders could not identify the problem initially.
The instructor insisted on checking Bob's brain due to prior concerns about his navigation abilities.
Concerns About Bob's Health
Bob had previously shown signs of getting lost and difficulty with navigation.
The instructor recalls previous incidents that hinted at potential brain issues.
A major concern was whether Bob was experiencing symptoms of Alzheimer's, which is rare but possible at his age.
Diagnosis
After tests in the ER, it was discovered Bob had a growth in his brain (meningioma) that was affecting his navigation skills.
The instructor recalls her own lab's research that had identified the brain region associated with navigation, highlighting a personal connection to the discovery.
Bob underwent successful surgery to remove the growth; however, his navigation skills did not fully recover post-surgery.
Key Themes From the Story
Brain Functionality: The brain has structure; different parts are responsible for different functions.
Specificity of Brain Areas: Damage to specific brain areas can lead to loss of specific mental abilities without affecting overall intelligence.
Plasticity and Recovery: Recovery from brain damage varies; younger brains demonstrate more plasticity.
Research Methods: Highlights the importance of various research methods in understanding brain functions through patient studies, imaging, and cognitive assessments.
Why Study the Brain?
Understanding Identity: The brain is essential to self-identity; problems in the brain reflect on personal identity.
Limits of Knowledge: Investigating the brain can help understand the boundaries of human cognition and knowledge.
Advancements in AI: Studying the brain can influence advancements in artificial intelligence.
Intellectual Quest: Exploring the human brain is one of the greatest intellectual challenges.
How to Study the Brain
Levels of Study
Molecular interactions
Properties of individual neurons
Circuits and regions of the brain
How brain functions give rise to the mind
Focus of the Course
Understand various mental functions, their brain basis, and explore if there is specialized machinery for each function.
Major methods include cognitive science, neuropsychology, functional MRI, and other brain imaging techniques.
Course Structure and Topics
Focus will be on topics with substantial understanding of brain bases, including:
Visual perception (color, shape, motion)
Recognizing faces, words, and navigation
Understanding numbers, speech, and music
Language processing and theory of mind
Guest Lectures: Special topics including brain-machine interfaces and deep networks in cognitive science research.
Grading and Assignments
Midterm: 25%
Final: 25%
Papers: Approximately two readings per week with written assignments for understanding.
Quizzes: Brief quizzes to reinforce learning, starting on February 20th.
Experiment Design Assignment: Due near the end of the course requiring practical understanding of experimental design.
Conclusion
The course aims to deepen understanding of cognitive neuroscience and analytical skills in reading scientific papers.
Encouragement to engage with current research and understand the theoretical underpinnings of cognitive functions.