Neuroscience II - Cells to Circuits to Neurodegeneration

Catalog description

Credits 4. 4 Lecture Hours. This course builds upon MSCI 655 by focusing on neurodegenerative disease. Each week will be dedicated to a different neurodegenerative disease. The format of the course is that during the first lecture of the week, the neurobiology of the disorder will be discussed by the instructor or guest lecturer. In the second or third lecture, a student or students will present peer-reviewed articles on the disorder and lead the class in a discussion. The instructor and topic experts/guest lecturers will also help to facilitate the discussion. Thus, this course will provide an in-depth exploration of the fundamentals of each of the known neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on didactic material to present cellular, physiological (circuit) and functional outcomes. The didactic portion of the course is complemented by the student presentations portion, which allows the students to apply these concepts and integrate them across the neuroscience and neurodegeneration disciplines. Such skills are essential for tackling the real-world challenges within the health sciences and the growing challenge of caring for and treating those with neurodegenerative diseases. Participation in all activities is an essential aspect to the overall learning experience of the course. Prerequisites: MSCI 655 or equivalent; graduate classification or approval of instructor.