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Environmental Health in Neurological and Mental Disorders


East Baltimore
4th term
Environmental Health and Engineering
3 credits
Academic Year:
2019 - 2020
Class Times:
  • M W,  1:30 - 2:50pm
Auditors Allowed:
Yes, with instructor consent
Grading Restriction:
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor :
Joseph Bressler

187.610 or consent of instructor


Estimates are that 10% of the general population over the age 65 living in the U.S. will have Alzheimer's Dementia. Estimates are that 15% of the children aged 3 to 17 suffer from a neurodevelopmental disorder. Genetic and environmental factor are being identified.

Covers physical and chemical factors in our environment that contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, mental health disease, and neurodegeneration. Lectures include a brief introduction to neurobiology, experimental studies in neurotoxicicology, and studies on human populations.

Learning Objectives:

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

  1. Describe intracellular and intercellular mechanisms underlying normal brain function
  2. Explain mechanisms underlying associations between mental disorders/neurological diseases and exposure to environmental pollutants
  3. Discuss developmental, senescent, and genetic factors that increase the individual’s risk to environmental pollutants
  4. Analyze data from experimental and epidemiological studies on neurodevelopment neurodegeneration
  5. Discuss animal models to study human behavior
  6. Explain tests given to assess human cognition and motor function
  7. Assess methods to test chemicals for safety
  8. Explain the involvement of neurological diseases and mental illnesses in the well-being of the population
  9. Explain the biology of neurodevelopment and neuroaging
  10. Discuss the historical and philosophical perspectives in studying the brain
Methods of Assessment:

This course is evaluated as follows:

  • 25% Quizzes
  • 25% Quizzes
  • 25% Quizzes
  • 25% Quizzes

Instructor Consent:

No consent required