BL 330 - The Biology of Sleep

(3.00 cr.)

We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, and scientists still don't know why. This class examines some of the leading theories for why we sleep and observes what happens when organisms (including ourselves) do not sleep enough. It also examines the cognitive and clinical consequences of lack of sleep. The course has three primary goals: provides a basic introduction to the biological characteristics of sleep, how sleep is measured, sleep regulation, ontogeny, phylogeny, and brain physiology; discusses the role of sleep (and a lack thereof) in numerous brain- and system-wide functions; and outlines the abnormalities of sleep that occur in and/or contribute to clinical disorders.

Prerequisite: BL 121 , BL 126 ; or BL 154 , BL 155 .
Sessions Typically Offered: Spring
Years Typically Offered: Annually