Neuroscience:exploring the brain

　　the origins of neuroscience: exploring the brain 　　 for over 25 years, we have taught a course called neuroscience 1: an introduction to the nervous system. the course has been remarkably successful-at brown university, where the course originated, approximately one out of every four undergraduates takes it. for a few students, this is the beginning of a career in neuroscience; for others, it is the only science course he or she takes in college. 　　 the success of introductory neuroscience reflects the fascination and curiosity everyone has for how we sense, move, feel, and think. however,the success of our course also derives from the way it is taught and what is emphasized. first, there are no prerequisites, so the elements of biology, chemistry, and physics required for understanding neuroscience are covered as the course progresses. this approach ensures that no students are left behind as the course progresses. second, liberal use of commonsense metaphors, real-world examples, humor, and anecdotes remind students that science is interesting, approachable, exciting, and fun. third, the course does not survey all of neurobiology. instead, the focus is on mammalian brains and, whenever possible, the human brain. in this sense, the course closely resembles what is taught to most beginning medical students. 　　 similar courses are now offered at many colleges and universities by psychology, biology, and neuroscience departments. the first edition of neuroscience: exploring the brain was written to provide a suitable textbook for neuro 1, incorporating the subject matter and philosophy that made this course successful. based on feedback from our students and colleagues at other universities, we expanded the second edition to include more topics in behavioral neuroscience and some new features to help students understand the structure of the brain. we must have gotten it right, because the book now ranks as one of the most popular introductory neuroscience books in the world. it has been particularly gratifying to see our book used as a catalyst for the creation of new courses in introductory neuroscience.