Ageing and The Brain: The Impact of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Offered By: Universidad Complutense de Madrid via FutureLearn

Course Description

Overview

Explore the challenges of treating and preventing neurodegenerative diseases

There is a distinct difference between normal brain ageing and a brain affected by a neurodegenerative disease. This course will show you how patients diagnosed with brain and neurological disorders are affected and consider the impact of neurodegenerative disorders on our society.

Discover the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments of common brain disorders

Led by experts in neuroscience at the Complutense University of Madrid, you’ll explore the several specific neuropathological events that occur due to different brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis.

You’ll consider the available treatments currently available for these diseases and learn about new lines of research that are ongoing to combat neurodegenerative disorders.

Develop your understanding of brain health

As well as exploring the pathology of common brain disorders, you’ll also develop your knowledge of how normal ageing impacts the brain as you learn what cognitive reserve is and how lifestyle influences brain health.

The neuroscience course is designed for anyone interested in the study of neuroscience.

The course will be of particular interest to bioscience students, teachers, and healthcare professionals, as well as brain disorder patients and caregivers.

You do not require any neuroscience background knowledge to follow the course.

Syllabus

Basic concepts about aging and diseases

Welcome to the course
Neurodegenerative disorders as a new challange
Normal aging
Pathological aging
Next-week proposed activity
Summary and review

How is the nervous system organized?

Why is it necessary to study the organization of the nervous system?
Discovering my Nervous System
Which are the cells that compose the nervous system?
How do neurons communicate and transmit information?
Inside brain
Summary and assessment

Alzheimer´s disease

Introduction to week 3
Alzheimer's disease
Treatment and recent research
Summary and further information

Parkinson´s disease

Introduction to week 4
Parkinson's disease main concepts
Treatments and recent research
Summary and the opportunity to continue learning

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis

Introduction to week 5
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (treatments and recent research)
Multiple sclerosis
Multliple sclerosis (treatments and recent research)
Summary and assessment

Taught by

Eva de Lago