Your Brain on Drugs

Scientific understanding of drugs and the brain has evolved alongside advances in neuroscience, revealing how chemical substances can profoundly alter neural communication and behavior. This course introduces the fundamental principles of neuroscience needed to understand how drugs act on the brain, spanning molecular, cellular, circuit, and behavioral levels of analysis. We will examine how neurons communicate, how neurotransmitters and receptors shape brain function, and how pharmacological agents modify these processes. The course then explores medications used to treat mental health disorders, emphasizing both their neurobiological mechanisms and their role in promoting human health and well-being. Finally, we will investigate drugs of misuse, focusing on the neuroscience of reward, addiction, and plasticity, as well as the broader social, cultural, and public health implications of substance use. Throughout the course, students will engage with current research to understand how scientific discovery informs real-world decisions about drugs, behavior, and health.