This class is a complete beginner to advanced level class covering contemporary theories of psychosis. The class can be tailored to any level, and can focus on particular aspects of the syllabus to greater or lesser degrees. Reading lists, sources, and further study resources will be provided for each lesson. This is not a compulsory aspect of the lesson scheme, but will aid you significantly in understanding the context of the lessons. During this class, you will cover: Lesson 1: An introduction to the psychological history of madness - History of diagnosis, from early asylums to modern psychiatry - Anthropology of madness, including non-Western approaches to conceptualising psychosis - The evolution of psychology and neuroscience as empirical fields of study Lesson 2: An introduction to cellular neurobiology - Basic cellular biology (cell structure, protein synthesis, signalling) - Synapses, electrical transmission, ions, and modeling the neuron - Axons, Dendrites, and basic connectivity - Neuronal learning, including Long-Term Potentiation, Hebbian Learning - Glial Cells & Neurons Lesson 3: Neuroanatomy - Understanding the cerebral cortex - A closer look at the cellular and laminar structure of the neocortex - White matter and intercortical connectivity - Structural anatomy of the hindbrain - Understanding the role of different brain regions, including the Basal Ganglia, Prefrontal Cortex, Amygdala, and more - Understanding the main information pathways in the brain, including the mesolimbic pathway Lesson 4: Neuroscience of Psychosis - Addressing the evidence base for psychosis as a neurological condition, including structural anatomy studies, genetics, brain imaging studies, psychiatry etc - The diagnostic process, different diagnostic categories (bipolar disorders, drug-induced psychosis, schizoaffective, schizophrenia etc) Lesson 5: Monoamine models of psychosis - Glutamatergic dysfunction - Dopaminergic dysfunction, particularly in the mesolimbic pathway and prefrontal cortex - GABAergic signalling - The potential and unclear role of serotonin - Psychotomimetics and what they tell us (and don't tell us) about psychosis Lesson 6: Developmental Models of Psychosis - Critically understanding Stress-Vulnerability Model - Genetic models of psychosis - Learning models of psychosis Lesson 7: Computational Models of Psychosis - Bayesian Brain model - Entropic Brain Hypothesis - Aberrant Salience Model - Reinforcement model - Integrated Information Theory Lesson 8: Summary, Recap, & Questions