Courses

This course is designed to give an overview of the field of neuroscience progressing from a molecular level onwards to individual neurons, neural circuits, and ultimately regulated output behaviors of the nervous system. Topics include a survey of the structure and function of the nervous system, basic neurophysiology and neurochemistry, development, learning and memory, sensory and motor systems, and clinical disorders. Throughout the course, many examples from current research in neuroscience are used to illustrate the concepts being considered. The lab portion of the course will emphasize a) practical hands-on exercises that amplify the material presented in class; b) interpreting and analyzing data; c) presenting the results in written form and placing them in the context of published work; and d) reading and critiquing scientific papers. [ more ]

Animal communication systems come in as many varieties as the species that use them. What they have in common are a sender that encodes information into a physical signal and a receiver that senses the signal, extracts the information, and adjusts its subsequent behavior accordingly. This tutorial will consider all aspects of communication, using different animal systems to explore different aspects of the biology of signaling. Topics will include the use of syntax to carry meaning in chickadee calls, synchronous signaling by fireflies, gestural communication by primates, long-distance chemical attractants that allow male moths to find the object of their desire, and cultural evolution within learned signaling systems. [ more ]

Opioid misuse, including addiction, has emerged as a major health epidemic in the United States. This course will explore the science of opioids as well as the historical and societal context surrounding their use. We will examine the neurobiological mechanisms through which opioids interact with pain pathways and reward circuits within the brain and we will explore how changes in these systems contribute to opioid tolerance, dependence, and addiction. We will consider how genetic, environmental and behavioral factors can powerfully influence these processes. Finally, we will consider alternative approaches to pain management as well as interventions for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Critical evaluation of peer-reviewed primary literature from animal and human studies will serve as a foundation for class discussions. Evaluation will be based on class presentations, participation in discussions and written assignments. [ more ]

Neuroscience studies the brain and mind, and thereby some of the most profound aspects of human existence. In the last decade, advances in our understanding of brain function and in our ability to manipulate brain function have raised significant ethical challenges. This tutorial will explore a variety of important neuroethical questions. Potential topics will include pharmacological manipulation of "abnormal" personality; the use of "cosmetic pharmacology" to enhance cognition; the use of brain imaging to detect deception or to understand the ability, personality or vulnerability of an individual; the relationship between brain activity and consciousness; manipulation of memories; the neuroscience of morality and decision making. In addition to exploring these and other ethical issues, we will explore the basic science underlying them. [ more ]

This course examines how experimental methods in neuroscience can be used to understand the role of nature (genes) and nurture (the environment) in shaping the brain and behavior. In particular, we will explore how neuroscience informs our understanding of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia. We will investigate the biological underpinning of these disorders as well as their treatments. Readings will include human studies as well as work based on animal models. Topics will include: the ways in which environmental and genetic factors shape risk and resiliency in the context of psychiatric disease, the neural circuits and peripheral systems that contribute to psychopathology, and the mechanisms through which interventions may act. In the laboratory component of the course, students will gain hands-on experience in using animal models to study complex behavior and their associated neural mechanisms. [ more ]

How does an animal experience its environment? What mechanisms allow an animal to select and generate behaviors? In this course we will use a comparative approach to examine how nervous systems have evolved to solve problems inherent to an animal's natural environment. We will discuss how animals sense physical and chemical properties of their surroundings and convert this information to a signal encoded in their brain. We will explore how nervous systems of diverse species are adapted to extract sensory information that is relevant to their survival--such as sound, light, and smell. We will also examine how neural circuits control muscles to generate motor behaviors such as locomotion and vocalization and how sensory information is integrated to influence behavior. To highlight the discovery process, we will read and discuss primary research articles that complement course content. During labs we will use a variety of approaches such as electrophysiology, optogenetics, behavior, and data analysis to understand sensory and motor systems in several different organisms. [ more ]

Animals must adapt their behaviors to match their environment in order to survive and reproduce. How does the nervous system mediate behavioral change that occurs in seconds, hours, months, or millions of years? In this course we will use a comparative approach to explore how neural circuits control behavioral flexibility over a range of timescales. We will first discuss circuits that control behavioral switches that occur very rapidly based on environmental and social stimuli. Next, we will consider the role that internal state and identity play in modulating neuronal circuits over an organism's lifetime to influence behavioral decisions. Finally, we will examine how evolution tinkers with neural circuits to lead to behavioral change over very long timescales. Throughout the course we will explore how modifications to neural circuits--including connectivity, synaptic plasticity, neuromodulation and neuron physiology--can lead to differences in behavior and ask if there are connections between common mechanisms underlying behavioral change across timescales. Discussions and assignments in this course will focus on reading and critically evaluating primary scientific literature. [ more ]

Independent study. [ more ]

Independent study. [ more ]

Neuroscientists explore issues inherent in the study of brain and behavior. The overall objective of this seminar is to create a culminating senior experience in which previous course work in specific areas in the Neuroscience Program can be brought to bear in a synthetic, interdisciplinary approach to understanding complex problems. The specific goals for students in this seminar are to evaluate original research and critically examine the experimental evidence for theoretical issues in the discipline. Topics and instructional formats will vary somewhat from year to year, but in all cases the course will emphasize an integrative approach in which students will be asked to consider topics from a range of perspectives including molecular, cellular, systems, behavioral and clinical neuroscience. Previous topics have included autism, depression, stress, neurogenesis, novel neuromodulators, language, retrograde messengers, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory. [ more ]

Neuroscience senior thesis; this is part of a full-year thesis (493-494). Independent research for two semesters and a winter study under the guidance of one or more neuroscience faculty. After reviewing the literature in a specialized field of neuroscience, students design and conduct an original research project, the results of which are reported in a thesis. Senior thesis work is supervised by the faculty participating in the program. [ more ]

Neuroscience senior thesis; this is part of a full-year thesis (493-494). Independent research for two semesters and a winter study under the guidance of one or more neuroscience faculty. After reviewing the literature in a specialized field of neuroscience, students design and conduct an original research project, the results of which are reported in a thesis. Senior thesis work is supervised by the faculty participating in the program. [ more ]