This course explores how genetic variation shapes synaptic function, neural circuits, and behavior. Learners will examine how specific gene mutations alter communication between neurons and how these molecular changes scale up to influence cognition, development, and addiction.

The course begins by investigating genetic disruptions of synaptic proteins using Fragile X syndrome as a central example. Learners will explore how mutations in key regulatory genes impair synaptic plasticity, alter neural development, and contribute to neurological symptoms, while also examining current challenges and emerging therapeutic strategies for genetic brain disorders. The course then introduces genetic knockout models as powerful tools for identifying gene function, highlighting research on nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits and human genetic mutations that serve as natural experiments in understanding disease mechanisms. In the final module, learners integrate these concepts to study complex synaptic modulation within the brain’s reward pathway, using nicotine addiction and smoking as case studies. The course explores how multiple neurotransmitter systems interact within reward circuits to drive motivation and reinforcement, and concludes with an overview of smoking cessation therapies, emphasizing the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles that determine their clinical effectiveness. This course is designed for learners with a background in biology who are interested in neuroscience, genetics, pharmacology, or addiction science. It is especially well suited for learners preparing for careers in medicine, biomedical research, psychology, pharmacy, or other health sciences.