Course outline, Fall 2008
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Week |
Laboratory |
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September 1 |
No lab |
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September 8 |
Culture of embryonic neurons |
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September 15 |
Introduction to intracellular recording |
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September 22 |
Ionic basis of the resting potential |
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September 29 |
Giant axon recording: Earthworm nerve cord |
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October 6 |
Hodgkin-Huxley computer simulation |
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October 13 |
Fall break - no lab |
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October 20 |
Computer lab II: synaptic transmission |
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October 27 |
Crayfish neuromuscular junction I |
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November 3 |
Crayfish neuromuscular junction II |
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November 10 |
Sensory physiology: Crayfish stretch receptor |
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November 17 |
Single unit recording in the visual system |
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December 1 |
Practice for lab practical |
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December 8 |
Lab practicals |
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DATE |
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CLASS |
TEXT1 |
PAPERS |
OPTIONAL |
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ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF NERVOUS SYSTEMS |
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Sept. 3 |
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Nervous system organization & cell biology |
1(3-9, 19-22) |
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1(9-19), FN3, FN4 |
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5 |
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Development: neurogenesis; migration |
23(479-497) |
(3) |
FN15, 16, 17 |
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8 |
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Axon outgrowth; synapse formation |
23(497-512) |
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FN18, FN19 |
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10 |
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Cell death; trophic factors |
23(512-523) |
(4) |
FN20, FN21 |
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12 |
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Synapse elimination; denervation; regeneration |
24(525-548) |
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15 |
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Neurogenesis in adult mammals |
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(15)+ |
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[16 |
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Optional evening review session] |
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17 |
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In-class exam, covers September 3 – 15 |
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ELECTRICAL SIGNALLING IN NEURONS
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19 |
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Ionic and electrical state of neurons |
4(all) |
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2(all) |
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22 |
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Membrane potentials |
5(all) |
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FN6 |
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24 |
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Ionic basis of the action potential |
6(91-98) |
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H2 |
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26 |
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Voltage clamp analysis |
6(98-103) |
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[26 |
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Problem set 1 due] |
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29 |
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Hodgkin-Huxley model |
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(10) |
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Oct. 1 |
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Neurons as conductors |
7(113-127) |
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Appendix A, FN5 |
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3 |
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Gating currents; introduction to channels |
6(103-112) |
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[UMass symposium] |
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[3 |
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Problem set 2 due] |
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6 |
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Channel structure and function |
3(all) |
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H3-5 |
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8 |
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Molecular basis of voltage sensitivity |
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(1) |
H16-19 |
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SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION BETWEEN NEURONS |
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10 |
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Electrical and chemical transmission |
9(155-166) |
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FN7, FN11 |
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Fall break |
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15 |
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Conductance mechansisms: excitation |
9(166-170) |
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FN12 |
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[15 |
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Optional evening review session] |
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[16 |
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Evening exam, covers Sept. 19 - Oct. 8] |
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17 |
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Inhibitory synaptic transmission |
9(171-176) |
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20 |
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Presynaptic inhibition |
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(5) |
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22 |
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No class – HHMI meeting |
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24 |
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Indirect transmission; quantum neurobiology |
10(all) |
(14) |
FN10 |
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[24 |
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Problem set 3 due] |
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27 |
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Neurotransmitter release |
11(all), 13(all) |
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8(all), 14(all) |
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CASE STUDIES: COMPUTATION, PLASTICITY, HYPEREXCITABILITY, GENETICS
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29 |
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Brain function & formal computation |
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(17), (2) |
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31 |
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Neurons as computers; neural coding |
7(128-131) |
(6) |
FN13 |
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Nov. 3 |
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Neural coding II: spike timing |
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(13) |
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5 |
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Neurons and populations: localization of sound |
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(8) (12) |
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[5 |
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Optional evening review session] |
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[6 |
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Evening exam, covers Oct. 10 - Nov. 3] |
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7 |
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Neurobiology of disease: Epilepsy |
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(16) |
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10 |
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Motor control systems; Neuroscience & free will |
22(447-462) |
(11) |
Rest of 22,FN29-36 |
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12 |
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Synaptic plasticity |
12, 15(291-304) |
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15(304-314), FN55 |
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14 |
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Mechansisms of LTP and LTD |
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(7) |
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17 |
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No class – SFN meetings; Neuronal epigenetics |
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(19) |
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SENSORY NEUROBIOLOGY: THE VISUAL SYSTEM |
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19 |
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Introduction to sensory systems |
17(all) |
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18(all), FN23&24 |
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21 |
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Human vision: absolute sensitivity |
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(9) |
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Thanksgiving Break |
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1 |
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Photoreceptors and photochemistry |
19(379-394) |
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3 |
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Vision: retina |
19(394-405) |
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FN28 |
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5 |
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Visual cortex: basic physiology |
20(all) |
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8 |
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Visual cortex: circuitry & functions |
21(all) |
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10 |
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Visual system plasticity |
25(all) |
(18) |
FN22 |
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Final exam, scheduled, November 5 - December 10 |
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