Day 1: traumatic injuries and space-occupying processes In this session of the course, students will be educated about different types of (common) traumatic injuries to the skull and spinal cord. This includes fractures, bleedings, and the consequences of these injuries to the underlying brain structures. The meninges will also be addressed in this session. Furthermore, students will be educated about different space-occupying processes (e.g., tumours) in and around the brain and spinal cord.
Day 2: cranial nerves In this session of the course, students will be educated about the cranial nerves and the areas innervated by these nerves. Case presentations can focus on e.g. bell's palsies or facial pain.
Day 3: cerebrovascular systems In this session of the course, students will be educated about the different systems supplying the brain with blood. Case presentations can focus on (different types of) cerebrovascular accidents and their anatomical relation to bodily dysfunctioning.
Day 4: Neurodegenerative diseases In this session of the course, students will be educated about neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's disease and the anatomical systems that are related to those diseases.
Day 5: Inflammatory diseases of the brain In this session of the course, students will be educated about the connecting fibre systems of the brain, including the motor and sensory tracts going to and coming from the extremities. Furthermore, anatomy of the cerebellum will be discussed.
At the end of days 1-5, students will get half an hour to draft an exam question (and submit that on paper) and 1,5 hours of individual studying time.
Day 6: Field trip to Museum Vrolik On this day students will visit the Museum Vrolik, which is located adjacent to the AMC. The museum has a collection of anatomical preparations of different humans and animals, including pathological anatomy and specimens of congenital defects. The goal of the visit is to provide students with a broader perspective on anatomy than just the preparations from the dissection room at the VU.
Day 7: Handcraft practical On this day, students will use clay to craft different areas of the brain themselves. Students get a free ‘choice of structure’ and will present their craft in subgroups at the end of the day. This will enhance their 3D-knowledge of different brain areas.
Day 8: Field trip to Spinoza Centre for Neuroimaging On this day, students will visit the Spinoza Centre for Imaging. The Spinoza Centre is a core research facility with ultra-high field MRI scanners, among which the most powerful MRI machine in the Amsterdam area, that are being used for a wide variety of neuroscientific purposes.
Day 9: Microscopy practical/TMS lecture On this day, students will be lectured about the different types of cells that the brain mainly consists of. Then, they will look at examples of these cells through the microscope. Furthermore, students will be lectured about TMS-technology to manipulate certain areas from the brain 'from the outside’, and how this can be used for clinical and research purposes. At the end of the day, they will make up exam questions cf. day 1-5.
Day 10: Q&A in the dissection room, exam This day will start with an extra session in the dissection room, giving students the opportunity to request going over the subjects they experienced as the most difficult during the course. In the afternoon, the students will take a short exam to finalise and evaluate the course.
