Profs & Pints Philadelphia: Brain Stories

Profs and Pints Philadelphia presents: “Brain Stories,” a crash course on the basics of neuroscience interspersed with surprising tales from research in the field, with Stuart McCaughey, who teaches courses on neuroanatomy, neuropharmacology, and neurological disorders as an assistant professor at the University of Delaware.

Gain insights into how our brains work, and learn what research tells us about the causes of our behavior and the links between our brains and those of animals, with brain expert Stuart McCaughey of the University of Delaware.

Using an approach that wins him and his courses rave reviews from his university’s students, Dr. McCaughey will discuss the basic principles of his field and illustrate them by telling remarkable stories related to the history of neuroscience and the workings of the brains of human beings and animals.

He’ll start by taking you on a tour of the nervous system, explaining the functions of its different parts and how various drugs alter neurochemical events.

We’ll look at neurological syndromes with bizarre symptoms, at the results of fascinating science experiments, and at the unusual effects of psilocybic mushrooms on the brain.

We’ll consider some of the many strange questions that have arisen as scientists have pursued their quest to understand how the brain works. Among them: Was the French Revolution triggered by a fungus with psychedelic properties? Does Parkinson’s disease cause a unique body odor? Should you eat your experiments on neural development when you finish collecting data on them?

Your brain will thank you for bringing it to Philadelphia’s Black Squirrel Club for this talk. (Advance tickets: $13.50 plus processing fees. Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Doors open at 3:30 pm. Talk starts at 4:30.)

Image by Canva.