Nervous System and Foundations of Disease

Catalog description

The Central Nervous System and Foundations of Disease course is an intensive, multidisciplinary exploration of the structure, function, and pathology of the human body, with a special emphasis on the nervous system. This course integrates neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology and the fundamental principles of disease to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding normal function and pathological processes across all organ systems. The neuroscience component focuses on the head, brain, spinal cord, motor and somatosensory systems, and special senses. Structural and functional concepts will be reinforced through radiologic anatomy, anatomical models, and neuroanatomy labs. Instruction includes lectures, clinical case studies, and interactive learning sessions to enhance the application of knowledge to realworld scenarios. The pathology component introduces students to the fundamental mechanisms of disease, providing a foundational understanding of human pathophysiology across all major organ systems. Emphasis is placed on key concepts such as cellular injury, inflammation, repair, immune responses, infectious diseases and systemic disease processes. Pathology serves as the bridge between basic biomedical sciences and clinical medicine, illustrating mechanisms of health and disease through clinical vignettes, case studies, and interactive sessions. Through a combination of didactic learning, dissection in the anatomy lab and case-based applications, this course equips students with the essential knowledge to understand pathological conditions affecting the central nervous system, while the pathology portion fosters a deeper understanding of the biological basis of disease and its impact on human health across all physiological systems