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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Medical Neuroscience by Duke University

4.9
stars
3,054 ratings

About the Course

Medical Neuroscience explores the functional organization and neurophysiology of the human central nervous system, while providing a neurobiological framework for understanding human behavior. In this course, you will discover the organization of the neural systems in the brain and spinal cord that mediate sensation, motivate bodily action, and integrate sensorimotor signals with memory, emotion and related faculties of cognition. The overall goal of this course is to provide the foundation for understanding the impairments of sensation, action and cognition that accompany injury, disease or dysfunction in the central nervous system. The course will build upon knowledge acquired through prior studies of cell and molecular biology, general physiology and human anatomy, as we focus primarily on the central nervous system. This online course is designed to include all of the core concepts in neurophysiology and clinical neuroanatomy that would be presented in most first-year neuroscience courses in schools of medicine. However, there are some topics (e.g., biological psychiatry) and several learning experiences (e.g., hands-on brain dissection) that we provide in the corresponding course offered in the Duke University School of Medicine on campus that we are not attempting to reproduce in Medical Neuroscience online. Nevertheless, our aim is to faithfully present in scope and rigor a medical school caliber course experience. This course comprises six units of content organized into 12 weeks, with an additional week for a comprehensive final exam: - Unit 1 Neuroanatomy (weeks 1-2). This unit covers the surface anatomy of the human brain, its internal structure, and the overall organization of sensory and motor systems in the brainstem and spinal cord. - Unit 2 Neural signaling (weeks 3-4). This unit addresses the fundamental mechanisms of neuronal excitability, signal generation and propagation, synaptic transmission, post synaptic mechanisms of signal integration, and neural plasticity. - Unit 3 Sensory systems (weeks 5-7). Here, you will learn the overall organization and function of the sensory systems that contribute to our sense of self relative to the world around us: somatic sensory systems, proprioception, vision, audition, and balance senses. - Unit 4 Motor systems (weeks 8-9). In this unit, we will examine the organization and function of the brain and spinal mechanisms that govern bodily movement. - Unit 5 Brain Development (week 10). Next, we turn our attention to the neurobiological mechanisms for building the nervous system in embryonic development and in early postnatal life; we will also consider how the brain changes across the lifespan. - Unit 6 Cognition (weeks 11-12). The course concludes with a survey of the association systems of the cerebral hemispheres, with an emphasis on cortical networks that integrate perception, memory and emotion in organizing behavior and planning for the future; we will also consider brain systems for maintaining homeostasis and regulating brain state....

Top reviews

SA

Nov 16, 2017

I found this course extremely useful. It was exactly what I needed and expected. A structured study of the brain and the spinal chord starting at the cellular level. A perfect course!

RH

Aug 2, 2025

fantastically taught course. so well structured..thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and has motivated me to learn more in the field of neuroscience.Prof White is an excellent teacher.

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551 - 575 of 909 Reviews for Medical Neuroscience

By Eva C

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Aug 4, 2025

Really good course, and a very good job done by the lecturer!! Thank you

By Juan C L C

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Jan 13, 2021

Un curso increíble para empezar a aprender como funciona nuestro cerebro.

By Venkata S K

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Aug 23, 2020

very very good course refreshed the entire concept of the nervous system.

By Mundih N N

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Dec 29, 2019

Excellent course. Very Informative and easy to understand and assimilate.

By MAYSSA

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Oct 15, 2019

i have juste started the course and i find it very interesting and useful

By Jorge E G D L

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Nov 3, 2017

Simply the best Neuroscience course I've ever taken. Totally recommended!

By Demetrio F

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Feb 14, 2017

It took ages for me to learn from books. This is definitely the best way!

By Fernando R M

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Dec 9, 2021

Very helpful for in-depth understanding how the most complex organ works

By Ruchi M

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Nov 13, 2021

Extremely detailed and engaging course. Had a great learning experience.

By Hassan M E

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May 2, 2021

the most amazing neuro course i have ever seen

thanks for greet knowledge

By ANTONIOS K

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Dec 22, 2016

Hard work.Knowledge. Enjoy. Thinking. Great professor. Great experiece.

By Minerva H

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Oct 25, 2021

this helped so much! wish I could become a neurologist in a few years~

By GULNARA J S

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May 22, 2021

PERFECT LESSON. I LEARNED MORE IMPORTANT KNOWLEDGE THANKS TO PROFESSOR

By Yi X

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Aug 9, 2020

A course with many content and kind of hard to learn but it's worthful

By Claudio R

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Jul 8, 2020

This was an awesome experience. This course is a MOOC masterpiece!!!

By León B P L

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Jul 12, 2019

Excellent to start learning about the brain and really well explained.

By Zhiming W

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Nov 30, 2017

It's useful. And I have learned many new knowledge about neuroscience.

By Stephanie V

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Dec 22, 2016

Amazing! The Professor is very active and wishes the best for everyone

By Jimmy N

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Jun 21, 2016

This is an incredible resource for learning or reviewing neuroscience.

By Bochen Z

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Aug 15, 2021

真的很“医学“，大量篇幅花在神经解剖的教学上，适合初学者建立神经系统的总体观，对于非生物专业出身的理论神经科学学者应该也是不错的补充资料

By César O Q M

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Aug 31, 2022

The best course I´ve ever seen, with the very best professor.

Thanks

By Rafael M

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Aug 30, 2021

One of the best online courses. Great teacher and quality learning.

By Carmen S F

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May 1, 2022

I really learned alot and deep thinking was certainly one of them.

By Eduardo U S

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Sep 4, 2020

excellent teacher, the course is interactive and quite interesting