Neurobiology Course outline & lab schedule

 DATE

CLASS

TEXT¹

PAPERS

OPTIONAL

 ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF NERVOUS SYSTEMS

 Sept. 3

Nervous system organization & cell biology

1(3-9, 19-22)

1(9-19), FN3, FN4

5

Development: neurogenesis; migration

23(479-497)

(3)

FN15, 16, 17

 8

Axon outgrowth; synapse formation

23(497-512)

FN18, FN19

10

Cell death; trophic factors

23(512-523)

(4)

FN20, FN21 

12

Synapse elimination; denervation; regeneration

24(525-548)

 15

Neurogenesis in adult mammals

(15)+

[16

Optional evening review session]

 17

In-class exam, covers September 3 – 15

 ELECTRICAL SIGNALLING IN NEURONS

19

Ionic and electrical state of neurons

4(all)

2(all)  

 22

Membrane potentials

5(all)

FN6

 24

Ionic basis of the action potential

6(91-98)

H2

26

Voltage clamp analysis

6(98-103)

[26

Problem set 1 due]

 29

Hodgkin-Huxley model

(10)

Oct. 1

Neurons as conductors

7(113-127)

Appendix A, FN5

 3

Gating currents; introduction to channels

6(103-112)

[UMass symposium]

[3

Problem set 2 due]

6

Channel structure and function

3(all)

H3-5

8

Molecular basis of voltage sensitivity

(1)

H16-19

SYNAPTIC TRANSMISSION BETWEEN NEURONS

10

Electrical and chemical transmission

9(155-166)

FN7, FN11

Fall break

15

Conductance mechansisms: excitation

9(166-170)

FN12

[15

Optional evening review session]

[16

Evening exam, covers Sept. 19 - Oct. 8]

 17

Inhibitory synaptic transmission

9(171-176)

20

Presynaptic inhibition

(5)

22

No class – HHMI meeting

24

Indirect transmission; quantum neurobiology

10(all)

(14)

FN10

[24

Problem set 3 due]

 27

Neurotransmitter release

11(all), 13(all)

8(all), 14(all)

  CASE STUDIES: COMPUTATION, PLASTICITY, HYPEREXCITABILITY, GENETICS

29

Brain function & formal computation

(17), (2)

  31

Neurons as computers; neural coding

7(128-131)

(6)

FN13

Nov. 3

Neural coding II: spike timing

(13)

5

Neurons and populations: localization of sound

(8) (12)

[5

Optional evening review session]

[6

Evening exam, covers Oct. 10 - Nov. 3]

7

Neurobiology of disease: Epilepsy

(16)

10

Motor control systems; Neuroscience & free will

22(447-462)

(11)

Rest of 22,FN29-36

12

Synaptic plasticity

12, 15(291-304)

15(304-314), FN55

 14

Mechansisms of LTP and LTD

(7)

17

No class – SFN meetings; Neuronal epigenetics

(19)

    SENSORY NEUROBIOLOGY: THE VISUAL SYSTEM

19

Introduction to sensory systems

17(all)

18(all), FN23&24

21

Human vision: absolute sensitivity

(9)

Thanksgiving Break

1

Photoreceptors and photochemistry

19(379-394)

 3

Vision: retina

19(394-405)

FN28

 5

Visual cortex: basic physiology

20(all)

 8

Visual cortex: circuitry & functions 

21(all)

 10

Visual system plasticity

25(all)

(18)

FN22

Final exam, scheduled, November 5 - December 10