Week 1: Overview of the course / Neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry: What’s the difference?

In this session we lay the foundations of the three disciplines that inform our understanding of the brain. We will then build upon this by considering how integration of all three provide a multi-dimensional understanding of the relationship between the nervous system and mental functioning.

Week 2: Basic anatomy of the Brain 1 – Structures we share with other animals

This is one of two sessions that introduces you to aspects of brain anatomy (neuroanatomy). A large part of our understanding of neuroanatomy has been achieved by investigating animal brains. It is therefore fundamental that you have knowledge about the oldest brain structures that are common to all mammals, including those in and around the brain stem. 

Week 3: Basic anatomy of the Brain 2 – Advanced structures in the human brain

This session complements part one of neuroanatomy. Although there are indeed many similarities between the human brain and that of other animals, appreciation of the ways in which our brain has progressed is essential for understanding of our own functioning. Therefore, in part two of this introduction to neuroanatomy, we will delve into the workings of the human brain, consider aspects that distinguish our brain from other animals and the need for such departures.  

Week 4: Localising functions and the senses

In gross neuroanatomy, it is possible to map our functions on to different parts of the brain. So, it is useful to consider research on how this is achieved and what this tells us about connections between the brain and behaviour. This is one of the themes that runs through the course and for this session our focus will be on the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes.

Week 5: The mystery of the nerve impulse and chemicals in the brain

You will learn about the very important chemicals that communicate messages across the brain. These are called neurotransmitters. They include dopamine, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine.

Week 6: What’s in there? Neuroscience instruments for mapping the brain

You may be wondering – how do we know these facts about the brain? This has been partly made possible by the development of physical devices that provide recordings of brain activity. This class will focus on large magnets used to measure blood flow in the brain (functional magnetic resonance imaging fMRI);  electrodes attached to the scalp (electroencephalogram, EEG); and the administration of radioactive elements to trace brain activity (positron emission tomography, PET scan).

Week 7: Psychological and psychiatric tools for investigating the brain

You will gain an insight into the materials that psychologists and psychiatrists rely on for assessment of an individual’s cognitive and emotional functioning. These inform diagnosis, treatment and predictions of potential treatment success where relevant (prognosis). They include the ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders’ (DSM-5) published by the American Psychiatric Association and the ‘International Classification of Diseases’ (ICD 11) published by the World Health Organisation (WHO). We will also consider the controversies attached to such global manuals that classify mental disorders.

Week 8: Mental illness and the brain: Emotional disorders of depression and anxiety

The most common mental disorders in the UK are depression and anxiety. When experienced together, for people in the UK, there is a prevalence of 7.8% meeting the clinical criteria for a diagnosis of ‘mixed anxiety and depression’. We will consider the signs and symptoms needed to meet the clinical criteria for either depression or anxiety. These two mental illnesses will be used as a case study to illustrate the big clinical problem of co-morbidity

Week 9: When the brain ‘loses touch with reality’: Psychosis

There is an estimated prevalence of psychotic disorder in the UK population of nearly 1%. As a clinical category, psychosis is a major mental disorder and schizophrenia is one of its major forms. We will look at brain activity and the two main symptoms of psychosis which are delusions and hallucinations. 

*** Christmas break ***

Lent Term

Week 10: Organic brain injury: Dementia and neurodegenerative disorders

You will learn about the relationship between changes within the brain and neurocognitive disorders. Amongst the range of neurodegenerative disorders discussed, dementia provides a useful illustration of how internal brain damage impacts on the demise of a person’s psychological and psychiatric condition. We will also consider aspects of treatment and how useful these are for neurodegenerative disorders.

Week 11: Bad brain science and neuroethics: Case studies you won’t believe

You will hear about clinical trials and other types of experiments into brain and behaviour that by today’s standards are considered unethical. This includes research conducted in places like pharmaceutical companies and universities that used drugs to alter patients’ and students’ brain activity without their knowledge. We will consider how such studies have contributed to what we currently know about the brain and psychology.

Week 12: Hijacking your brain: psychoactive drugs, motivation and addiction

The journey in this session will lead you to understanding the mechanisms of action of prescriptive and recreational drugs. Prescriptive drugs include selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines. Illicit drugs include nicotine, cocaine and heroin. Drugs cleverly mimic the brain’s natural chemical messengers and trick it into responding which can lead to an individual’s dependence on such drugs. Psychological and psychiatric aspects related to addiction will also be considered.

Week 13: Intelligence and learning

We all have intelligence, though individuals’ capacity to learn and adapt to environments vary. You will discover brain structures involved in this process. Activity in the brain areas most associated with intelligence include the prefrontal cortex, the temporal cortex and the parietal cortex.

Week 14: Language and the brain

Language and communication are essential for our survival. You will learn about the variety of brain structures involved in language. The most researched are Broca’s area and Wernicke's area.

Week 15: The global brain: Cultural neuroscience

We will consider the bidirectional relationship between the brain and a person’s environment. It is relevant to look at how methods used in neuroscience that were previously described in earlier classes, such as neuroimaging, illustrate the different uses of the brain according to a person’s culture.

Week 16: Mind vs Brain?: Consciousness

You will learn about methods used in neuroscience and psychology to understand what has been termed the ‘hard problem’. When investigating consciousness, researchers and philosophers alike refer to the concept of ‘qualia’. It seems contradictory that something as unique as the subjective experience of consciousness can be studied using the physical tools of neuroscience. However, in this session, we will explore consciousness by integrating the fields of neuroscience and psychology.

Week 17: Dos and Don’ts for the brain and psychological wellbeing. What you can to do to achieve health in both

Now that you have acquired a basic understanding of the brain, at this stage it would be useful to consider the healthy applications of this knowledge. This is the first in a series of three sessions that considers how to reduce emotional problems and achieve ‘good brain health’. In this session we will identify the brain systems, or ‘neurocircuits’, that impact on mental well been and the application of positive psychiatry and psychology in everyday context.

Week 18: The brain on the couch – psychological therapies and the brain

For this session we will look at some of the popular psychological therapies including cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy and humanistic/person centred therapy. The neuroscience evidence base for their effectiveness comes from a range of research methods including various neuroimaging techniques and clinical trials.

Dr Angela Richards has a background in experimental methods, the NHS and academia. She has been involved in research into memory in animals and brain scanning in older people. She has taught various aspects of neuroscience, psychology and psychiatry at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Her main interest is in neurodegenerative disorders and technology, especially dementia. As part of a team she was a co-finalist for an Alzheimer’s Society award.

 

Weeks	Standard Rate	Internal Rate	Associate Rate
20	Early Bird: £453 Full price: £503	Early Bird: £270 Full price: £300	Early Bird: £356 Full price: £396
All fee rates quoted are for the whole 2-term course. Early Bird rates available 1 August to 30 September 2023 only. Part-payments are not possible.

 

Rate Categories and Discounts

Standard Rate

• Available to all except those who fall under the Internal Rate or Associate Rate category.

Internal Rate

• Current Imperial College students and staff (incl. Imperial NHS Trust, Imperial Innovations, ancillary & service staff employed on long-term contracts at Imperial College by third-party contractors)
• People enrolling under our Friends & Family scheme
• Alumni of Imperial College and predecessor colleges and institutes, including City & Guilds College Association members
• Students, staff and alumni of the Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music and City, UAL and the City and Guilds of London Art School
• Students, staff and Governors of Woodhouse College and the IC Mathematics School

Associate Rate

• Austrian Cultural Forum staff
• Co-operative College members
• Francis Crick Institute staff, researchers and students
• Friends and Patrons of the English Chamber Orchestra
• Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
• Friends of Leighton House/ Sambourne House
• Friends of the Royal College of Music
• Harrods staff
• Historic Royal Palaces staff
• Lycee Charles de Gaulle staff
• Members of the Friends of Imperial College
• Members of the Kennel Club
• Members of the London Zoological Society
• Members of the South London Botanical Institute (SLBI)
• Members of the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)
• National Health Service (NHS) employees
• Natural History Museum staff
• Residents of postcodes SW3, SW5, SW7, SW10 and W8
• Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council staff
• Royal Geographical Society staff
• Science Museum staff
• Staff of Exhibition Road Cultural Group (Discover South Kensington) organisations
• Students (non-Imperial College)
• Teachers and other staff of UK schools
• Tutors and other staff of institution members of the Association of Colleges
• Tutors and other staff of other universities and higher education institutions
• Victoria and Albert Museum staff

Late enrolment

It is possible to enrol on many of our adult education courses after the course has already started. For non-language courses this is subject entirely to agreement by the tutor. For language courses it is subject to agreement by the language coordinator conducting level assessment. If you want to join a course late do bear in mind there might be work you will need to catch up on, particularly in language courses.

Friends and Family Scheme

This course is eligible for allowing Imperial College students and staff to share their discount with their friends and family.

Web enrolment starts 1 August 2023. Early bird discounts are available from 1 August to 30 September 2023

Enrolment and payment run through the Imperial College eStore. When enrolling:

• Do check on the drop down menu above called "Course Fees and Rate Categories" to see if you are eligible for a discounted rate and also do make sure you select that rate when enrolling on the eStore
• If you are a first-time eStore user you will need to create an account before enrolling. You can do this by entering an email address and password. This account can then be used for any future enrolments via the eStore.

When you have enrolled you will be sent the following email notifications:

What is sent	When is it sent	What does it contain
1. Payment confirmation	Is sent straight away following submission of your online application	This is a receipt for your payment and includes payment date, order number and course title Confirmation of your place on your chosen course will follow later as long as the course recruits enough students to run. If not you will receive a refund of your payment.
2. Enrolment confirmation	Is usually sent within 10 working days. Please treat your payment confirmation as confirmation that your applicant details and payment have been received	Confirms your course choice Shows your course's term dates Confirms the day and time of your course
3. Programme information	Is usually sent on Friday late afternoon the week before term starts	Contains joining instructions for your course, either online or in the classroom, depending on the course
	If you need further help with the above information please ring 020 7594 8756 / +44 20 7594 8756. All enrolments are provisional until the course is confirmed to run. This will be dependent on the course reaching the minimum number of enrolments. All enrolments are subject to our Terms and Conditions. It is not possible to join one of our courses without agreeing to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

If you have any questions about the academic content or teaching of this course please contact the Course Tutor, Dr Angela Richards, angela.richards@imperial.ac.uk

If you have any questions about your enrolment or payment processes please contact the Programme Administrator, Christian Jacobi, eveningclass@imperial.ac.uk