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An MRI scan of the human brain

What is Neuroscience?

Neuroscience is the discipline concerned with the scientific study of the nervous system in health and disease. It probes the intricate machinery of the nervous system in an attempt to understand how we think, move, perceive, learn and remember. Research in the neurosciences is of considerable importance in medicine, considering the debilitating and costly effects of neurological and psychiatric disease. In this regard, a major goal of modern neuroscience research is to elucidate the underlying causes, and to produce more effective treatments for major brain diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, Schizophrenia and Depression.

What will you study?

Neuroscience links neurobiology with cognitive science, and as a result modules are provided by several Schools within several faculties. The course involves in-depth instruction in the fundamentals of modern molecular and cellular biology, as well as on the structure and operation of the nervous system.

Other modules focus on the development of the nervous system, its response to injury and disease, the relationship of the brain to behaviour, imaging the brain, and the drug treatment of brain disorders. You will also be trained in scientific methodology and experimental design, data handling and research skills.

Junior Sophister (third) year courses include:

• Introduction to neuroscience
• Neuroanatomy
• Neurophysiology I
• Neurochemistry I
• Introduction to neurogenetics
• Developmental biology
• Cellular and molecular physiology
• Biochemistry and immunology
• General principles of pharmacology
• Applied laboratory techniques
• Research skills

Senior Sophister (fourth) year courses include:

• Neurophysiology II
• Neurochemistry II
• Neuroimmunology, neuroinflammation and experimental neuropathology
• Neuropharmacology
• Neuropsychology
• Neurogenetics
• Journal club

An important part of your final year is a major research project that is carried out in one of the several neuroscience research groups within the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience (www.tcd.ie/neuroscience). The research project will be preceded by a literature review, and will lead to a dissertation.

Research projects are currently available in the following research areas: Neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease, Neurotoxicity of MDMA (“Ecstasy”) and cannabis, Neurobiology of memory and learning, Neuroinflammation, Neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease, Neurobiology of depression, Human sleep research.

Career opportunities

As a graduate of neuroscience you can expect to find employment in organisations that utilise your general scientific training as well as your specialist skills (some recent graduates are now employed by Wyeth Biopharma, Abbott and Quintiles).

You may also study for a higher degree in neuroscience, biological or psychological research, and pursue a research career in an academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical research organisation (some recent graduates are now employed by the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience). If you do not want to pursue a research career, the course provides transferable skills suitable for a wide variety of careers in teaching, business, management and industry. Some graduates also go on to take professional degrees in medicine, speech therapy or allied health related sciences.

Further information

www.tcd.ie/Neuroscience
Tel: +353 1 896 8484

Preparing for an MRI scan in the Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience