Learn about the structure of the human brain and how it is affected by drugs of abuse.
This site helps students discover the fundamentals of neurobiology and how drugs change the brain. Among the topics: functions of specific brain areas; anatomy of the neuron; neurotransmission; drug action on neurons; genetic, behavioral, and environmental influences on drug addiction; and addiction as a chronic disease.
This "clicker case" explores the biological basis for the temporary euphoria that accompanies drug use as well as certain aspects of the biological basis of drug dependency. The case is called a clicker case because it is designed for use with personal response systems (aka clickers). The case itself is a PowerPoint presentation (~2.7 MB) punctuated by multiple-choice questions that students answer in class using clickers. It could be adapted for use without these technologies. The case was developed for use in a large introductory biology course for both majors and non-majors.
For organizations offering drug/alcohol addiction treatment, we are documenting successes and failures in building long term relationships with referral sources that result in increased admissions.
" This course looks at medicine from a cross-cultural perspective, focusing on the human, as opposed to biological, side of things. Students learn how to analyze various kinds of medical practice as cultural systems. Particular emphasis is placed on Western (bio-) medicine; students examine how biomedicine constructs disease, health, body, and mind, and how it articulates with other institutions, national and international."
