Introduction to Neuroscience

Introduction

The brain is the most complex organ in the body, it is made up of cells with very varied roles, such as neurons, that are able to send electrical messages.
Remarkably, the human brain is capable of encoding memories that last for decades! The brain uses a large volume of the calories and oxygen we take into our bodies, but there are many aspects of brain function that are not very well understood.

In this resource, you will be introduced to the basic physical structure of the brain, such as the different lobes, before delving in to the cellular level to explore the networks of different cell types that make up the brain and enable messages to be sent, as well as the blood brain barrier that acts to protect the brain from foreign substances. Finally, you will begin to think about how these physical structures and biological functions result in memory, one of the most amazing capabilities of the brain and a rapidly evolving area of research.

This resource was created with support from the Take Your Place project. Please visit https://www.takeyourplace.ac.uk/ for more information.