Syllabus nov 23, 2014 to be updated as we go

NBIO 140

Fall 2015 Turrigiano MWTH 10-10:50

Turrigiano- SSC 1-28; turrigiano@brandeis.edu

Office hours M 1-2, Th 11-12, Friday 9-10, or by appointment
TA's: Alejandro Torrado Pacheco (atorrpac@brandeis.edu), Justin Shin
(jdshin@brandeis.edu), and Nate Miska (njmiska@brandeis.edu)
Recitation Sections- rooms TBA; tentatively M/W 6pm, T/Th 5pm
Textbook- Principles of Neural Science (5th edition) Kandel, et al (KSJ)
Course requirements: 2 EVENING midterms (100 pts each) and a final (200 pts).
There will be problem sets and recitation sections led by the TAs to discuss these problem sets.
Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the problems and TA sections because
they will help in mastering the concepts of the course.
Unless students have a course conflict, they should attend special neuroscience-related
seminars during the semester, as announced in class and/or on the syllabus. Most of these will
be Wed 4:00 pm or Tuesdays at noon.
THIS COURSE IS INTENDED FOR JUNIORS, SENIORS, 1st and 2nd YEAR GRADUATE
STUDENTS who are interested in obtaining an introduction to the fundamental principles of
neuroscience. IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE FOR FRESHMEN, and sophomores are
encouraged to wait until their junior year. Interested sophomores must speak
personally with Professor Turrigiano concerning the suitability of this course for them.
Graduate students and seniors should note that more intensive discussion of some of the issues
discussed in this course will be handled in NBIO 148 which can be taken concurrently, with
permission of the instructors.
NOTE ON THE SYLLABUS: This syllabus is meant to give students a sense of what the
course will cover. It is likely that some modifications of this syllabus will take place during the
semester. Please get in the habit of regularly checking the website for updated versions.
TOPICS to be covered (tentative): structure of the nervous system, resting potentials,
action potentials, ion channels, synaptic potentials, neurotransmitters, learning and memory,
neurological and psychiatric disorders, motor control, vision, pain processing, basics of
pharmacology, reward and addiction, sleep
NOTES ON APPROPRIATE CONDUCT: Students are encouraged to study together and
to work together on problem sets. Any cases of suspected cheating on formal exams will be
sent to the Deans office for disciplinary action.
If you are a student with a documented disability at Brandeis University and if
you wish to request a reasonable accommodation for this class, please see me
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Syllabus nov 23, 2014 to be updated as we go

(Professor Turrigiano) immediately. Please keep in mind that reasonable
accommodations are not made retroactively.
LEARNING GOALS and OBJECTIVES:
a) Students will obtain understanding of the basic principles of neuronal signaling in the
nervous system.
b) Students will gain an appreciation of the connections between insights from basic
research and human neurological and psychiatric disorders.
c) Students will become accustomed to thinking quantitatively about how membrane
conductances generate neuronal and circuit activity.

Syllabus nov 23, 2014 to be updated as we go

CLASS SCHEDULE
1. Thur. Aug 27- Introduction to the Course. Cell biology of the Neuron KSJ Ch 4, APPENDIX
A- circuit fundamental concepts
2. Mon Aug 31 - Ion channels and the resting potential. KSJ Ch 5, 6
3. Wed Sept 2- Ion channels and Action potentials, KSJ Ch 6,7
4. Thur Sept 3- Action potentials cont KSJ Ch 6, 7
5. wed Sept 9- Passive Properties, AP Propagation, KSJ Ch 7. KSJ chs 5, 6, 7
6. Thurs Sept 10 (Brandeis Monday) - Action potential propagation continued. Myelin and its
disorders KSJ Chs 4, 5, 6, 7, 14
7. Wed Sept 16 - Other voltage gated channels, diverse firing properties of neurons, neural
oscillators, PDF in latte (Squire et al. pp 150-160)
8. Thurs Sept 17 - Synaptic transmission 1: Electrical coupling and start of chemical synaptic
transmission (ligand-gated receptors) KSJ ch 8
9. Mon Sept 21 - Synaptic transmission at the Neuromuscular junction, KSJ ch 9, 10, 11
10. Thurs Sept 24 - Synaptic transmission 3, release machinery, quantal theory KSJ Ch 12.
11. Tues Sept 29 (Brandeis Monday) Central synaptic transmission
12. Wed Sept 30 - Synaptic integration (temporal, spatial) KSJ ch 10,
13 . Thurs Oct 1st - Postsynaptic density, modulation of channels, KSJ Ch 10, 11
14. Wed Oct 7 - Short-term synaptic plasticity, Habituation and sensitization in the Aplysia
gill withdrawal reflex, ch 66
15. Thurs Oct 8- Midterm #1: evening exam (covering material through Oct 1
16. Mon Oct 12 - Simple Associative learning: Aplysia gill withdrawal reflex continuedKSJ
ch 66
17. Wed Oct 14 - Long-term potentiation and depression, KSJ ch 67
18. Thurs Oct 15 - LTP and LTD continued, Place cells and spatial maps, KSJ ch 67
19. mon Oct 19 LTP/LTD: relationship to learning, other forms of plasticity

Syllabus nov 23, 2014 to be updated as we go

20. Wed Oct 21 - Homeostatic synaptic plasticity; PDF in Latte
21. Thurs Oct 22 synapse formation
Fear Conditioning and PTSD, KSJ Ch 63, pp 1419-1422; KSJ Ch 48, pp 1084-1088
22. Mon Oct 26: Conditioned Taste aversion.
23. Wed Oct 28 - Overview of sensory coding, KSJ Ch 21
24. Thurs Oct 29 - Retina, KSJ Ch 26
25. Mon Nov 2 Retina Cont, begin central vision
26. Wed Nov 4 - Central Vision, KSJ Ch 25
27. Thurs Nov 5 - Central Vision Cont
28. Mon Nov 9 Midterm #2: evening exam (covering material through Nov 5)
29. Wed Nov 11 Topographic Map Formation, axon guidance (visual system), KSJ Ch 54
30. Thurs Nov 12 Critical periods and experience-dependent plasticity, KSJ Ch 56
31. Mon Nov 16 Hearing, alignment of visual and auditory maps, KSJ chs 30 (focus on hair
cells) and 31.
32. WEd Nov 18 - Finish auditory and visual map alignment, critical periods
33. Thurs Nov 19 - Spinal reflexes and Locomotion, KSJ Ch 35, 36
34. Mon Nov 23 Voluntary movement, KSJ Ch 37
35. Mon Nov 30 - Basal Ganglia, Parkinsons and other Neurodegenerative diseases, KSJ Ch
43, 44
36. Wed Dec 2- Sleep and Circadian Rhythms, KSJ Ch 51
37. Thurs Dec 3 - Autism
38. Mon Dec 7 Major Mental illness, KSJ chs 62, 63
39. Wed Dec 9 - Epilepsy, KSJ Ch 50
FINAL EXAM TBS (scheduled by registrar).
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Syllabus nov 23, 2014 to be updated as we go