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Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society

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Sleep: Neurobiology, Medicine, and Society

Instructors: Ralph Lydic, Ph.D.

76,087 already enrolled

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12 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

826 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

12 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

826 reviews

Beginner level

No prior experience required

Flexible schedule

2 weeks at 10 hours a week

Learn at your own pace

98%

Most learners liked this course

What you'll learn

Understand how sleep and the brain are connected.
Become familiar with major sleep disorders that impact daily life.
Explore the long-term negative health consequences of inadequate sleep.

Details to know

Shareable certificate

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Assessments

15 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 12 modules in this course

The objective of this course is to give students the most up-to-date information on the biological, personal, and societal relevance of sleep. Personal relevance is emphasized by the fact that the single best predictor of daytime performance is the quality of the previous night's sleep. The brain actively generates sleep, and the first section of the course is an overview of the neurobiological basis of sleep control. The course provides cellular-level understanding of how sleep deprivation, jet lag, and substances such as alcohol, ,caffeine, and nicotine alter sleep and wakefulness. The second section of the course covers sleep-dependent changes in physiology and sleep disorders medicine. Particular emphasis will be placed on disorders of excessive sleepiness, insomnia, and sleep-dependent changes in autonomic control. Chronic sleep deprivation impairs immune function and may promote obesity. Deaths due to all causes are most frequent between 4:00 and 6:00 a.m., and this second section of the class highlights the relevance of sleep for preventive medicine. The societal relevance of sleep will be considered in the final section of the class. In an increasingly complex and technologically oriented society, operator-error by one individual can have a disastrous negative impact on public health and safety. Fatigue-related performance decrements are known to have contributed as causal factors to nuclear power plant failures, transportation disasters, and medical errors.

Module details

This unit begins with a Course Overview video from Ralph Lydic, Ph.D., followed by the first portion of the Neurobiology of Sleep and Wakefulness lecture, delivered by Helen Baghdoyan, Ph.D. PLEASE NOTE: Only the Course Overview video, and the Getting Started and Syllabus readings are required for students who have chosen to engage in the Standard Track portion of the course content. Standard track students may also bypass all content in units 2, 3, and 4, and instead move directly to unit 5 after viewing the Course Overview video.

What's included

6 videos4 readings1 assignment

6 videosTotal 93 minutes

01.01 - Course Overview - Ralph Lydic, Ph.D. 18 minutes
02.01 - Learning Points15 minutes
02.02 - Defining Behavioral States9 minutes
02.03 - Historical Overview: Brainstem & Forebrain17 minutes
02.04 - Wake & REM: Monoamines17 minutes
02.05 - Wake & REM: Acetylcholine17 minutes

4 readingsTotal 40 minutes

Getting Started10 minutes
Syllabus10 minutes
Help Us Learn More About You!10 minutes
Lesson 2 Orientation10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Did you Complete Lesson 2?30 minutes

Unit 2 continues the lecture from Helen Baghdoyan, Ph.D. on the Neurobiology of Sleep and Wakefulness. PLEASE NOTE: This content is only required for students who have chosen to pursue the Honors Track certification.

What's included

5 videos2 assignments

Unit 3 continues the Neurobiology section of the content with a lecture from Victoria Booth, Ph.D. on the Mathematical Modeling of Sleep-Wake Regulation. PLEASE NOTE: This content is only required for students who have chosen to pursue the Honors Track certification.

What's included

10 videos1 reading2 assignments

10 videosTotal 67 minutes

03.01 - Introduction to Mathematical Modeling of Sleep-Wake Regulation 3 minutes
03.02 - Two Process Model 6 minutes
03.03 - Sleep-Wake Flip-Flop Model6 minutes
03.04 - Reciprocal Interaction Model 12 minutes
03.05 - REM Sleep Flip-Flop Model5 minutes
03.06 - Features for an Ideal Model of Sleep-Wake Regulation7 minutes
03.07 - Introduction to Mechanistic Models of Sleep-Wake Regulation 4 minutes
03.08 - Diniz Benh & Booth Model - Part I10 minutes
03.09 - Diniz Benh & Booth Model - Part II 14 minutes
03.10 - Conclusion 2 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Unit 03 Orientation10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 60 minutes

Did you Complete Lesson 5?30 minutes
Unit 03 Quiz - Mathematical Modeling of Sleep-Wake Regulation30 minutes

Unit 4 closes out the Neurobiology section with a lecture from Chiara Cirelli, Ph.D. on Molecular Biology and the Genetics of Sleep. PLEASE NOTE: This content is only required for students who have chosen to pursue the Honors Track certification.

What's included

6 videos2 assignments

6 videosTotal 52 minutes

04.01 - Expression of mRNA Varies During Sleep and Wakefulness8 minutes
04.02 - Wake Genes that are Associated with Energy Metabolism 7 minutes
04.03 - Synaptic Plasticity is Genetically Modulated 8 minutes
04.04 - Brain Glial Cells Influence States of Sleep and Wakefulness 9 minutes
04.05 - Genetic Modulation of Human Sleep Phenotypes 8 minutes
04.06 - Conclusion 11 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 32 minutes

Did you complete Lesson 7?2 minutes
Unit 04 Quiz - Molecular Biology and Genetics of Sleep30 minutes

Unit 5 marks the beginning of the Medicine section of the course. This unit features an overview of Sleep Medicine from Ronald Chervin, M.D.

What's included

7 videos1 reading1 assignment

7 videosTotal 94 minutes

05.01 - Introduction - Overview of Sleep Medicine 5 minutes
05.02 - Clinical Approach to Sleep Disorders10 minutes
05.03 - Polysomnography 17 minutes
05.04 - Classification of Sleep Disorders20 minutes
05.05 - Obstructive Sleep Apnea 16 minutes
05.06 - Testing for Obstructive Sleep Apnea7 minutes
05.07 - Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Concluding Thoughts18 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Unit 05 Orientation10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Unit 05 Quiz- Overview of Sleep Medicine30 minutes

Unit 6 continues the Medicine section of the course, featuring a lecture from Helena Schotland, M.D. exploring how Disordered Sleep and Breathing may alter Cardiovascular Health.

What's included

3 videos1 reading1 assignment

3 videosTotal 40 minutes

06.01- Impact of Disordered Sleep and Breathing on Cardiovascular Health (Part 1) 21 minutes
06.02 - Impact of Disordered Sleep and Breathing on Cardiovascular Health (Part 2)14 minutes
06.03 - Outcomes of CPAP Therapy and Conclusions5 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Unit 06 Orientation10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Unit 06 Quiz - Disordered Sleep and Breathing Alters Cardiovascular Health30 minutes

Unit 7 further continues the Medicine section of the course with a lecture on the relationship of Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders from Eric Nofzinger, M.D

What's included

8 videos1 reading1 assignment

8 videosTotal 68 minutes

07.01 - Introduction - Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders9 minutes
07.02 - What Goes to Sleep?14 minutes
07.03 - Sleep Alterations Associated with Specific Psychiatric Disorders21 minutes
07.04 - Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia4 minutes
07.05 - Anxiety Disorders5 minutes
07.06 - Substance Use Disorders 4 minutes
07.07 - Insomnia5 minutes
07.08 - Interventions for Insomnia7 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Unit 07 Orientation10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Unit 07 Quiz - Sleep and Psychiatric Disorders30 minutes

Unit 8 further continues the Medicine section of the course with a lecture from Christopher Drake, Ph.D. on the causes and consequences of Insomnia.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 assignment

Unit 9 further continues the Medicine section of the course with a lecture from J. Todd Arendt, Ph.D. on the range of available treatments for Insomnia.

What's included

9 videos1 assignment

9 videosTotal 48 minutes

09.01 - Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatments for Insomnia7 minutes
09.02 - Treatment Options for Insomnia5 minutes
09.03 - BzRA Hypnotics6 minutes
09.04 - Abuse Liability of Hypnotic Agents5 minutes
09.05 - Pharmacological Treatments for Insomnia4 minutes
09.06 - Nonpharmacological Treatments for Insomnia6 minutes
09.07 - How CBT-I Works6 minutes
09.08 - Pharmacological Treatments for Insomnia Part III6 minutes
09.09 - Summary 3 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Unit 09 Quiz - Treatments for Insomnia30 minutes

Unit 10 brings the Medicine section of the course to a close with a lecture on Sleep and Anesthesia delivered by George Mashour, M.D.

What's included

4 videos1 assignment

Unit 11 kicks off the Society section of the course with a lecture on Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Health from Theresa Lee, Ph.D.

What's included

5 videos1 reading1 assignment

5 videosTotal 88 minutes

11.01 - Why Sleep is Important 21 minutes
11.02 - Sleep Occurs as a Circadian Rhythm 18 minutes
11.03 - Changes in Sleep Rhythms Across the Lifespan (Part 1) 22 minutes
11.04 - Changes in Sleep Rhythms Across the Lifespan (Part 2) 16 minutes
11.05 - Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Hygiene11 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Unit 11 Orientation10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Unit 11 Quiz - Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Health30 minutes

Unit 12 wraps up the final section of the course and the Society section of the content with a lecture on Daytime Sleepiness and Sleep Need by Thomas Roth, Ph.D.