Developmental Psychopathology

This course is a broad academic introduction to neuro-A&P (Anatomy & Physiology, or basically the What and the How of the brain), with a special focus on how things may go wrong.  We'll look at what is and isn't known about psychopathology, from common disorders to legally and/or medically historic situations.  

This class is generally structured as a participation-rich lecture, a guided discussion.  I love sharing my screen, so while the basis of this class will be a powerpoint presentation, I'll also pull up scientific studies, media articles, developmental diagrams, and anything else I think is relevant to the discussion.  I talk a lot, but I also encourage questions and interaction, and for that reason, the class may go in a somewhat different direction every time it occurs.  That said, the basic outline shall remain the same, and students will have access to my presentation as a pdf file.  

The basic outline of the class is as follows: 
- The Age-Old Question: Nature versus Nurture (what matters more, genes, or environment?) 
- Basic Development of the Nervous System, Prenatal (before birth) and Postnatal (after birth)
- How Do We Define Pathology? (What makes brains/behaviors abnormal, with a focus on the "Four D's" - Deviance, Distress, Disfunction, and Danger)
- Factors that Influence Pathology, including 
     - Genetics
     - Trauma (to the mother or to the individual, including some discussion on concussions) 
     - Toxins (including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) 
     - Nutrition (especially malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies) 
     - Infection (including toxoplasmosis, syphilis, and prion disease)
- "Good Enough:" Parenting, Family Planning, and Education (discussing systems to prevent and manage pathologies)
- Careers in this Field (ranging from medicine and research to education and even agriculture) 
- Conclusions We Can & Can't Draw

Students are expected to have completed an Introductory Biology course, and understand terms like "species" and "genes," but no further knowledge is expected.

While I do consult with legal, medical, and psychological professionals in the development of this course, we cannot and do not provide advice for specific legal or medical situations.  THIS CLASS DOES NOT PROVIDE THERAPY.  I do share details of my own psychopathology, Chronic Treatment-Resistant Depression, in order to elucidate relevant concepts, but the focus of this class is not personal anecdotes, but scientific knowledge and history.  Neurodivergent learners (i.e., my fellow folks with something atypical with their brains) are especially welcome in this class, though as mentioned, I do not provide legal or medical advice, and I do not provide therapy.  

Please note: I am a mandatory reporter in the State of Colorado, and if I have reason to suspect abuse, neglect, or harm, I will report it to the state, to Outschool, and to parents/guardians.  This includes reports of self-harm.