What you'll learn

  • How sensory perception works in the brain
  • How the physiology of vision, hearing, taste, smell, touch, motor control and other senses work
  • The basic anatomy of functional areas of the brain
  • The visual system of the brain
  • How the motor subsystems of the brain execute and coordinate our movement.
  • The critical brain systems that keep alive
Learn More

Course description

The human brain is a fantastically complex system, capable of transforming a torrent of incoming information into thought and action. In this course, we will look at how the various subsystems of the brain work together to enable us to survive and thrive in a changing world.

Each lesson will challenge you with interactive segments, animations, and documentaries that explore the richness and complexity of the brain. Our forums will provide you with a place to meet other students around the world, and you can learn from each other through a series of discussion questions.

Do you want to learn about how brains perceive the world? Join us as we explore sensation, perception and the physiology of functional regions of the brain.

Course outline

  • Lesson 1: Vision
  • Lesson 2: Audition
  • Lesson 3: Touch, Taste, Smell, and the Remaining Senses
  • Lesson 4: Movement and Action
  • Lesson 5: Subcortical Brain Areas
  • Lesson 6: Brain Anatomy
Learn More

Instructor

  • David Cox

    Assistant Professor of Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Computer Science, Harvard University
Enroll now.
Learn More