With approximately 86 billion neurons, and trillions of synaptic connections, the human brain is undoubtedly one of the most complex structures on the face of the earth, capable of orchestrating all kinds of astonishing behavior, from solving a Rubik’s cube to composing a symphony to juggling chainsaws.
But how does this system actually work? How does it form memories, recognize faces, or learn to play the guitar? Why does it feel happy, hungry, or sad? What happens when something in the brain goes wrong and how can we fix it?
Neuroscience at Reed is an interdisciplinary major designed for students who wish to focus their coursework and research at the intersection of biology and psychology to understand the mechanics behind this remarkable structure and the behavior that it generates.
Along the way, you will lean heavily on anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and ethology to investigate questions that range from molecular studies of single neurons all the way to complex cognitive phenomena.