Courses
Behavioral Neuroscience (NEU/PSY/BIO 314)
Behavioral Neuroscience is a broad field that encompasses Psychology, Biology, Physiology, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Developmental Biology, Behavioral Ecology, Cognitive Psychology, Neurology, etc that explores the biological bases of our experience and behavior. The course starts with an extensive, in-depth coverage of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology followed by units on neuropharmacology and drug abuse, somatosensation and pain, neuroendocrinology, homeostasis (hunger, thirst, thermoregulation, circadian rhythms) and learning/memory. The laboratory portion of the course includes units on cryosectioning and histology, brain dissection, neurophysiology simulations, and a four-week rodent behavioral pharmacology unit on cocaine sensitization and opioid analgesia. At the end of the course, students organize and host the Kids Judge Neuroscience Fair, a "science fair" themed event with demonstrations, games and crafts designed to spark interest in neuroscience in 5th graders where the kids are the judges of the college students. The course is highly recommended for pre-health students or those students wishing to conduct independent study or honors thesis research in neuroscience. The course satisfies the Core Laboratory Course requirement for the NEU major and can also be counted for the biology and psychology majors. Ideally students should take Biopsychology before taking Behavioral Neuroscience.
Cocaine behavioral sensitization lab data collection
Cockroach elctrophysiology lab
Fall 2018 Kids Judge Neuroscience Fair
Fall 2017 Kids Judge Neuroscience Fair
Psychology of Sleep (NEU/PSY204)
Psychology of Sleep is designed with a focus on a semester-long experiential learning project in which students use the SleepScore smartphone app to track their sleep, compare it to a class-wide data set and identify ways to improve their sleep health. In the course we talk about circadian rhythms, polysomnography, the phylogeny of sleep across species, sleep across the lifespan, the neurophysiology of sleep, normal versus disordered sleep, drugs that affect sleep, and a two-week unit on the content, function and theories of dreaming. The main objective of the course is for students to learn about the psychology of sleep while measuring their own sleep with the goal of improving their quality of life and maximizing their academic performance. PSY204 can be counted for the neuroscience and psychology majors, PSY100 or an AP Psychology course is a pre-requisite.
Sensation and Perception (NEU/PSY 215)
Sensation and Perception focuses on the anatomy and physiology of the five senses and how detection of sensory information translates into perception by the brain. Humans are visual animals, so half of the course focuses on sight and visual perception. Students learn about eye anatomy (including an eye dissection), retinal physiology and the visual pathway. This is followed by units on color, object, movement, depth and size perception and visual attention. Other units in the course include auditory perception, speech and music perception, vestibular perception, somatosensation, pain, olfaction, gustation and synesthesia. The course includes an "Illusion Competition" in which student create their own illusion and decide as a class on the winners. Here are some illusions from students in the 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 courses. NEU/PSY215 counts for the psychology and neuroscience majors, students should have taken PSY100, AP Psych or BIO120.
Neurobiology of Disease (NEU/PSY/BIO 336)
This course is recommended for pre-health students because of it's strong focus on clinical aspects of human nervous system disorders. Each week we focus on a different neurological disorder, central nervous system trauma or psychiatric syndrome. Topics include, Parkinson's, Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Ischemia, Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord injury, Migraine, Epilepsy and Schizophenia. Emphasis is placed on understanding the relationship between behavioral dysfunction and the underlying neuropathology or injury. For each topic, we discuss the etiology, epidemiology and traditional strategies aimed at diagnosis, prevention, symptom alleviation and restoration of function. Depending on which semester the course is offered, students organize, recruit, fundraise and participate in the Connecticut College teams for the Walk to End Alzheimer's (fall) or the MS Walk (spring). In the course's seminar format, students are responsible for researching and presenting peer-reviewed research on new discoveries, treatment strategies and early detection aimed at the future of combatting neurologic dysfunction. When possible leading experts and former students in the field join the class via video conferencing. Biopsychology (NEU/BIO/PSY 214) is a required prerequisite and a strong background in neuroscience principles through taking a core laboratory course is recommended. NEU/PSY/BIO 336 counts for the neuroscience, biology or psychology majors.
2016 Walk to End Alzheimer's
2019 Walk to End Alzheimer's
2016 MS Walk
2017 MS Walk
Cognitive Brain Imaging (NEU/PSY 343)
Technologies aimed at visualizing brain anatomy and function are the future of neuroscience. It is important for beginning neuroscience students, especially those considering a clinical career, to have an understanding of how brain images are acquired and the specific utility each method provides for doctors and researchers. Topics in this seminar course include Computed Tomography (CT scan) structural and functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI/fMRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Electroencephalography (EEG), Magnetoencephalography (MEG), Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan)/Single Positron Emission Tomography (SPECT scan), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Functional Near Infrared Optical Tomography/Event Related Optical Signal Imaging (fNIR/EROS). Students choose an aspect of clinical neuroscience and present a portfolio of peer-reviewed articles using at least three brain imaging techniques that have informed our understanding of brain functioning. The course includes field trips to brain imaging research centers at Yale and Brown Universities. NEU/PSY 343 counts for the neuroscience and psychology majors. Biopsychology (NEU/BIO/PSY 214) is a required prerequisite and a strong background in neuroscience principles through taking a core laboratory course is recommended.
Evolutionary Psychology (NEU/PSY 332)
The evolution of human behavior has been occurring for hundreds of thousands of years with language, art and religion arising within the last 50,000 years. We are often unaware that the foundations of behavior and the decisions we make today have ancient roots that served the evolutionary purposes of survival, reproduction and ensuring that our genes were represented in the population. Evolutionary psychology examines theories that may explain the roots of modern behaviors like short- and long-term mating behavior and how they differ between the sexes, survival, kinship, parenting, cooperation, altruism and aggression. Often a comparative approach is useful by examining the behavior of our primate cousins and other species to help us understand ourselves and the evolutionary reasons for behavior. Frequently, evolutionary psychology theories have come under criticism for being too minimalistic and untestable. We examine these and other topics/issues in NEU/PSY 332 and rely on students being well-informed through course readings to offer their opinions to class discussions on often sensitive issues of human behavior. One goal of the course is that by exploring the evolutionary reasons for behavior we can better understand why humans act in ways that are often times the basis for conflict and societal problems. Evolutionary psychology counts for the neuroscience and psychology majors, a background from PSY100 or AP Psych is expected.
Toxins and the Nervous System, Global Environmental Justice Issues
(First-Year Seminar)
Many nervous system toxins are also prominent environmental contaminants. Students in this first-year seminar learn about how chemical pollutants affect the brain, behavior and in particular the development of the nervous system and how/why they were introduced into our environment. Chemical environmental contamination often involves a counterbalance of complex social and environmental justice issues such as the control of pests for the production of food vs. the effects of pesticides on ecological balances and human disease, or the mining of mineral wealth vs. the disproportionate exposure of children and marginalized populations to heavy metals. The course is the product of the 2013 Global Environmental Justice Project and Professor Schroeder’s study of lead contamination in La Oroya, Peru. Students begin by reading Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and developing literature research skills by using the college's unique Lear-Carson archives in Shain Library to examine the origins of Carson's work. Social and environmental justice issues surrounding lead, mercury, PCB and other contaminants are prominent themes of the course. Among the goals of this seminar are to promote the values and mission of the college to “prepare students to be responsible citizens, creative problem-solvers, and thoughtful leaders in a global society” who are “sensitive to the need for responsible environmental stewardship.”
Genius, Creativity and the Brain (First-Year Seminar)
In this first-year seminar students investigate the essence of creativity and genius and what constitutes an extraordinary mind. The course centers on three themes. First students evaluate the contributions of genes and the environment to the development of exceptional intellect by examining the lives of noteworthy creative individuals and the diversity of their contributions to society. Second, the fine line between genius and madness is examined and the example of savantism is used to debate the criteria for a "normal" and a "brilliant" mind. Third, students are introduced to the basics of neuroscience and brain functioning and learn how they are relevant to the nature of creativity and human cognition. Whenever possible, interactions with students and professors in Art, Music, Dance, English and the sciences are incorporated into the course for the purpose of giving students first-hand explorations of how the creative process is manifested in different disciplines. The collective theme of course assignments allow students to express their own creativity and evaluate the creativity of peers in a course-culminating web-based creativity project.