• Logo for Complutense University of Madrid

Ageing and The Brain: The Impact of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Learn what happens to the brain as neurodegenerative diseases progress and study the latest research on brain disorder prevention.

3,908 enrolled on this course

Artistic image of a brain cross-section as a puzzle

Ageing and The Brain: The Impact of Neurodegenerative Diseases

3,908 enrolled on this course

  • 5 weeks

  • 5 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

Explore the challenges of treating and preventing neurodegenerative diseases

There is a distinct difference between normal brain ageing and a brain affected by a neurodegenerative disease. This course will show you how patients diagnosed with brain and neurological disorders are affected and consider the impact of neurodegenerative disorders on our society.

Discover the causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatments of common brain disorders

Led by experts in neuroscience at the Complutense University of Madrid, you’ll explore the several specific neuropathological events that occur due to different brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis.

You’ll consider the available treatments currently available for these diseases and learn about new lines of research that are ongoing to combat neurodegenerative disorders.

Develop your understanding of brain health

As well as exploring the pathology of common brain disorders, you’ll also develop your knowledge of how normal ageing impacts the brain as you learn what cognitive reserve is and how lifestyle influences brain health.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 18 seconds “Neurodegenerative disease” is a generic term that covers a range of conditions which affect various components of the nervous system. This group of diseases is incurable and debilitating and causes degeneration progressive or death of the neurons. This causes, depending on the area affected, various problems with movement or the appearance of neurological symptoms that in some cases lead to the emergence of dementia.

Skip to 0 minutes and 48 seconds You have probably heard these terms before: dementia, ataxia, spasticity… but Do you know exactly what they are, what they indicate? Why are they produced? These are some of the the aspects that we will deal with during the course.

Skip to 1 minute and 4 seconds Hi, I’m Eva de Lago, coordinator of the course, “Ageing and The Brain: the Impact of Neurodegenerative Diseases”. This course is taught by a group of teachers and researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid whose main area of research is is Neuroscience. Due to the rise of this type of disease in recent years, as defined by some researchers and the new epidemic of the 21st century, we believe it is important to put a course with which we can bring knowledge of this type of pathology, teach how to distinguish between them and respond to them he questions related to the pathologies and new treatments.

Skip to 1 minute and 46 seconds Moreover, as it is a subject of great interest both for students from various areas such as the general public we have designed the course so that anyone with an interest in this area can easily follow without the need for prior knowledge.

Skip to 2 minutes and 8 seconds The course is organized in 5 weeks, and we will start by reinforcing certain basic concepts necessary to be able to address the study of neurodegenerative diseases. Thus, in the first two weeks you will be able to learn how the nervous system is formed.

Skip to 2 minutes and 31 seconds Once this minimum level of knowledge has been reached, together we can learn the causes, origin, symptoms and possible treatments available for major neurodegenerative diseases, In particular in the third and fourth week we will study the two diseases with the greatest

Skip to 2 minutes and 49 seconds current incidence: Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, ending in the fifth week with two pathologies that were are often confusing and for this reason we have preferred

Skip to 3 minutes and 1 second see them together: lateral sclerosis amyotrophic and multiple sclerosis. As indicated above, diseases neurodegenerative diseases are a group of diseases incurable at the moment, but where numerous researchers from all over the world we are providing a large number of resources in the search for new treatments that help slow the progression of the disease. However, as you will understand in the development of the course, this is a complex task full of challenges and unknowns that will need be resolved in the coming years. Thus, from the Complutense University of Madrid, we encourage you to join us in this course and in this way you will be able to have a fuller picture of diseases neurodegenerative diseases and the challenge they represent.

What topics will you cover?

  • Basic concepts about aging and diseases, collecting information about neurodegenerative disorders and their impact on our society.
  • Normal aging, and its impact on the brain compared with a pathological disorder.
  • Organization of the nervous system, focusing on the main structures, types of cells and the way to transmit information.
  • Alzheimer´s disease, the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Knowing your symptoms as dementia and the possible treatments available.
  • Parkinson´s disease, a movement disorder with a plethora of disabling symptoms caused by selective neuronal death. Other examples of neurodegenerative disorders.
  • Multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, in which the spinal cord is the area affected.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Distinguish the effects of normal aging versus pathological aging (including main events occurring in neurodegenerative disorders).
  • Identify the key components of the nervous system and understand how they work.
  • Understand which cells types of the central nervous system are affected in the main neurodegenerative disorders and why they die.
  • Distinguish the main symptoms and the origin of different neurodegenerative disorders.
  • Analyze the current therapeutic strategies against neurodegenerative diseases and the future perspectives.

Who is the course for?

The neuroscience course is designed for anyone interested in the study of neuroscience.

The course will be of particular interest to bioscience students, teachers, and healthcare professionals, as well as brain disorder patients and caregivers.

You do not require any neuroscience background knowledge to follow the course.

Who will you learn with?

Dr. Eva de Lago Femia-Lead Educator, Associate professor.
Dpt Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (UCM).
Profesional research field: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and other neurodegenerative disorders

Mari Luz is Associate professor and teaches Psychobiology at the Faculty of Psychology of the Complutense University of Madrid. Her line of research is related with neurodegenerative deseases

Associate Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Complutense University of Madrid

Associate Professor in Psychobiology at the Faculty of Psychology.
My research fits into neurodegenerative diseases and development of the Nervous System.

Assistant Professor
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
The Complutense University of Madrid
Research area: Parkinson´s disease

Postdoctoral Researcher on Neuroscience in the Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED). My work is focused on the study of endocannabinoid system in ALS.

Who developed the course?

Complutense University of Madrid

The Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) is the largest public research university in Spain, and is widely regarded as one of its most prestigious academic institutions.

Ways to learn

Buy this course

Subscribe & save

Limited access

Choose the best way to learn for you!

$134/one-off payment

$39.99/month

Automatically renews

Free

Fulfill your current learning needDevelop skills to further your careerSample the course materials
Access to this courseticktick

Access expires 24 May 2024

Access to 1,000+ coursescrosstickcross
Learn at your own paceticktickcross
Discuss your learning in commentstickticktick
Tests to check your learningticktickcross
Certificate when you're eligiblePrinted and digitalDigital onlycross
Continue & Upgrade

Cancel for free anytime

Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$39.99/month

Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$134/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 24 May 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Learner reviews

Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

You can use the hashtag #FLNDiseases to talk about this course on social media.