Preliminary Biology 465/565 Neurophysiology Lecture Schedule - Spring 2001

IMPORTANT NOTE: the topics in the last parf of the course (roughly L17 onward) will be determined by student interest and likely will differ significantly from listed topics.  Also, each subject will focus on the neurobiology & neurophysiology of the larger subject.  For example, a discussion of drugs of addiction will focus on drug action at the cellular level and consequences within so-called 'pleasure centers' of the brain, not behavior.

 

date               

L01                   Course introduction - History of Neurophysiology

L02                   Intro to the nervous system - The Search for Mind

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PART I: COMPONENTS OF MIND - The Neuron                                                                                                    

L03                   Ion  channels and resting potentials

L04                   Ion  channels and resting potentials

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L05                   Graded potentials      

L06                   Action potentials,                                                                                                                                          

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L07                   Voltage clamps and patch clamps

L08                   Synaptic transmission between neurons                                 Submit practice exam questions                                

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L09                   Neurotransmitters and second messengers   

PART II:  DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATION OF THE BRAIN

L10                   Cues for brain development                                                   Submit questions for Exam 1 

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L11                   Sensory deprivation experiments - altering development                                            

L12                   Evaluate Exam 1

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L13                   Stem cells and the usefulness of developmental pathways  

L14                   The Peripheral Nervous System - general structures and functions     

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PART III: THE FUNCTIONING BRAIN and MIND

L15                   The Central Nervous System - general structures and functions                     

L16                   The Central Nervous System - Motor Cortex and Pre-Motor Cortex

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L17                   Signalling within the cortex:  EEG’s and epilepsy

L18                   Learning and memory - simple systems                            

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L19                  Learning and memory - mammalian brains  

L20                   Sleep and dreams                                                                                                                                         

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L21                   Language                               

L22                   Emotions and the limbic system                                             Submit questions for Exam 2

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PART IV: DISORDERS OF THE MIND

L23                   Mania and depression

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L24                   Evaluate Exam 2         

L25                   Neurophysiology of addiction                        

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L26                   The Aging Mind - Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease     

PART V: VARIATIONS OF MIND

L27                   Male/female differences in brain and mind; the homosexual mind?            

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L28                   last class - Submit final exam questions to be discussed in class     

L29                   Final Exam will be ready by 5 pm                 

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Final exam time                       Evaluate Final Exam 1:00pm - 3:30pm