Events
Building a Brain: Cells, Circuits and Developmental Disorders (Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar lecture)
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Mills Center for Social Sciences, Lecture Hall B, 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
The developing brain relies on a coordinated series of chemical and electrical signals as well as cell contacts to establish the neural circuits that control brain function. This lecture by Dr. Susan Birren of Brandeis University explores the development and function of one system of nerve cells within the brain, the cholinergic system, which connects to the major brain areas responsible for thought, emotion, and response to sensory information. In adults, the cholinergic system affects learning and memory, awareness, and sensory responses. It is also the first brain area to be affected in Alzheimer’s disease and is disrupted in developmental disorders such as autism. More information
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