Foundations of Neurobiology

Catalog description

This course begins with the study of nerve cells: their structure, the propagation of nerve impulses and transfer of information between nerve cells, the effect of drugs on this process, and the development of nerve cells into the brain and spinal cord. Next we study sensory and motor pathways between the central and peripheral nervous systems. We then move to the sensory systems such as olfaction, hearing, and vision and discuss how physical energy such as light is converted into neural signals, where these signals travel in the brain, and how they are processed. Next we study the control of voluntary movement. Finally, we cover the neurochemical bases of brain diseases and those systems which control motivation, emotion, learning and memory. Components: Class Prereqs/Coreqs: P: BIOLOGY 1150 or BIOLOGY 1650 Typically Offered: Spring - even year