Suggested preparation: Introductory biology and neuroscience.
Optional preparation: Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology: Free Course.
About this course
Study the organization and development of the nervous system. The lectures move between anatomy and function, including spinal pathways, motor systems, auditory processing and hypothalamic and limbic structures.
Topics and lesson examples
- 1. Introduction: brain orientation, primitive cellular activities
- 9. Autonomic nervous system; differentiation of the brain vesicles and intro to the hindbrain…
- 21. Visual systems, part 1
- 29. Hypothalamus and limbic system, part 3
- 38. Plasticity in brain connections
Course at a glance
| Provider | MIT |
|---|---|
| Platform | YouTube · MIT OpenCourseWare |
| Access | Free Video |
| Level | Professional — WikiFree study-level assessment |
| Language | English |
| Available lessons | 35 |
| Video duration | 28h 30m · self-paced |
| Details checked | 10 October 2026 |
Preparation and study approach
Suggested preparation: Introductory biology and neuroscience.
Follow the available videos in sequence, pausing to summarize the main argument or reconstruct a worked example. Keep a short list of assumptions, unfamiliar terms and questions to revisit. Additional reading, problem solving and practice will take time beyond the listed video duration.
Using this video classroom
Select a lesson from the list, or search for a topic. Previous and Next move through the sequence. You can mark lessons complete; progress is stored in this browser without a WikiFree account.
Free access and course scope
The public MIT OpenCourseWare videos in this classroom are free to watch. This listing provides the available playlist recordings, which may include selected lectures, recitations, demonstrations or supporting discussions rather than every component of the original campus course. Textbooks, equipment, software licenses, supervised labs, graded assignments and instructor feedback are not supplied by WikiFree. No purchase is required to watch the videos or use the note-based study approach above.
WikiFree independently organizes these resources for self-paced study. Watching does not award an MIT certificate, academic credit or admission to MIT.
Video provider and credit: MIT OpenCourseWare on YouTube. WikiFree titles, descriptions and cover artwork are independently prepared.
Related courses for your next step
- Review a lower-level optionNeuroanatomy and Neurophysiology: Free Course
Focus: Neuroanatomy · Neurophysiology
Intermediate - Review a lower-level optionFree MIT Course: Human Brain Function and Cognitive Neuroscience
Focus: 1. Introduction to the Human Brain · 6. Introduction to the Human Brain
Intermediate - Compare another approachFree MIT Course: Neural Computation and Computational Neuroscience
Focus: 1: Course Overview and Ionic Currents - Intro to Neural Computation · 5: Hodgkin-Huxley Model Part 2 - Intro to Neural Computation
Professional
Compare course focus, level and study time
| Course | Level | Focus | Study time |
|---|---|---|---|
| This course — Free MIT Course: Brain Structure and Neural Development | Professional | 1. Introduction: brain orientation, primitive cellular activities · 9. Autonomic nervous system; differentiation of the brain vesicles and intro to the hindbrain... · 21. Visual systems, part 1 | 28h 30m of video; practice time is additional |
| Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology: Free Course | Intermediate | Neuroanatomy · Neurophysiology · Neural pathways | 40h 19m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Human Brain Function and Cognitive Neuroscience | Intermediate | 1. Introduction to the Human Brain · 6. Introduction to the Human Brain · 10. Development, Nature & Nurture I | 20h 9m of video; practice time is additional |
| Free MIT Course: Neural Computation and Computational Neuroscience | Professional | 1: Course Overview and Ionic Currents - Intro to Neural Computation · 5: Hodgkin-Huxley Model Part 2 - Intro to Neural Computation · 10: Time Series - Intro to Neural Computation | 24h 33m of video; practice time is additional |
Provider: MIT. Videos play from the MIT OpenCourseWare channel on YouTube.
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