2010-11 Academic Year
Neuroscience (20438)
Degree/studies: Bachelor's Degree in Human Biology
Year: 3
Term:
Number of ECTS credits: 4
Number of study hours:
Course language(s): Catalan and Spanish
Staff: Teaching staff: Fernando Giráldez (full professor). Lecturers: Olga Valverde (full professor), Francisco Muñoz (senior lecturer), Fernando Barrendero (senior lecturer). Coordination: Fernando Giráldez.
1. Presentation of the course
Neuroscience studies the brain in a multi-disciplinary manner. Many levels of explanation are involved, from the molecular to behavioural and cognitive levels, via cells, neural networks and circuits and behavioural responses. These strategies have diverse origins; morphology, neurophysiology, pharmacology, molecular biology, neurology and psychiatry. It is therefore the paradigm of a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary area. This new approach to biological study of the brain has opened huge new possibilities for comprehending the "big problems" of our knowledge of the brain; consciousness, perception, memory, neurological and psychiatric diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.
The aim of this subject is to provide an overview on neuroscience and the effervescent state in which it is currently found, via examination of specific areas where enormous advances have been made during the last few years. The programme begins with a brief review of molecular and cellular biology of neurones and glia, focusing on cellular communication mechanisms and plasticity, and moving on to a complete examination of the molecular bases of neuropathology. This section includes a review of the advances on diseases with high social importance and which are currently the object of intense study, like epilepsy, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. The next modules deal with the so-called cognitive neurosciences, a terrain where the traditional fields of neurophysiology and psychology meld in order to deal with some of the fundamental problems in our knowledge of the human mind, namely perception and memory. Here the problems of development of the senses and of perception are dealt with, and the problem of the neurological bases for art will also be discussed. Later on, memory, language and communication processes will be reviewed. Finally, a module will be dedicated to examining recent advances in neuropharmacology and treatment of psychiatric disorders and addictions, which is also a field with huge social and medical impact. The classes will be complemented by seminars where problems, articles or cases suggested by the lecturers will be discussed and resolved in group discussions.
2. Competences to be achieved in the subject
- Understanding the basic principles of neuroscience, its multidisciplinary nature and its field of knowledge.
- Describing the basic processes of molecular and cellular biology of neurones and glia, focusing on cellular communication mechanisms and plasticity.
- Understanding the molecular bases of neuropathology, using epilepsy, schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease as examples.
- Describing the basic organisational and developmental processes of the sensory systems and perception.
- Understanding the neurological mechanisms of memory, language and communication.
- Understanding the principles of neuropharmacology and treatment of psychiatric disorders and addictions.
3. Content
THEORY SYLLABUS
THE CELLULAR BASES OF BRAIN FUNCTION
1. Molecular and cellular biology of the neurone. Neural communication. Intracellular signalling. Transcription and translation mechanisms. Apoptosis.
2. Neurobiology of the glia. Type and function. Signalling mechanisms. Participation in myelination. Neural regeneration. Neuroinflammation.
3. Molecular and cellular bases for synaptic plasticity. LTP. LTD. Main neurotransmission systems involved. Intracellular signalling mechanisms. Function and brain structures involved.
MOLECULAR BASES FOR NEUROPATHOLOGY
4. Diseases which affect ion transport across the neurone membrane and in associated sensory receptors. Nerve conduction and channelopathies. Changes in the ionic gradient. Epilepsy.
5. Diseases which affect chemical neurotransmission (I). Parkinson's disease. Schizophrenia. Depression.
6. Diseases which affect chemical neurotransmission (II). Nerve gases. Intoxication by poisons of animal and vegetable origin.
7. Molecular bases for physiopathological aging of the brain. Brain oxidative metabolism. Types of senile dementias and their causes. Alzheimer's disease and ß-amyloid peptide.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE SENSORY ORGANS: FROM PHOTORECEPTORS TO ART
8. Organisational principles of the sensory systems. Sensory receptors. Abstraction of the properties of the outside world. Distortion and contrast. Localisation of brain functions. Amplification and parallel processing.
9. From the retina to the cerebral cortex. Processing information in the retina. The visual cortex: order and organisation. Ocular dominance columns. Processing form, space and movement.
10. The sensory brain and art. Construction of perspective. The history of beauty, the history of art and the history of the brain.
COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
11. Cognitive neuroscience (I). Complex superior processes: attention, learning and memory. Neural circuits.
12. Cognitive neuroscience (II). Complex superior processes: human communication. Production and comprehension of articulated language. Relevant areas of the brain. Neural circuits. Sensory-motor integration.
NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR THE TREATMENT OF NEUROLOGICAL AND MENTAL DISORDERS
13. Neuropharmacology: advances in knowledge, with special emphasis on mechanisms of action and their clinical use.
14. Psychopharmacology: advances in knowledge, with special emphasis on mechanisms of action and their clinical use.
15. Diseases orphaned by the pharmaceutical industry. Need to search for new therapeutic targets. Strategies to achieve these targets and design more efficient drugs.
16. New therapeutic strategies in the field of neuropsychopharmacology. Gene therapy. Lipid neurotransmission. Other techniques.
SEMINARS
Seminar 1. Basic neuroscience techniques. Behaviour. Neuroimaging.
Seminar 2. Discussion of a research article on memory production. The role of glutamate and nitric oxide. Growth of neurites and activation of CREB.
Seminar 3. Problem on the application of new therapeutic strategies (example of an Alzheimer's patient treated with a glutamate antagonist and how this treatment could be developed with new ligands at the same receptors, other neuroprotectors or gene therapy).
Seminar 4. Regenerative neuroscience. Gene therapy. Adult and iPS stem cells. Regeneration: cell proliferation and pattern formation. Regenerative medicine for spinal trauma and neurodegenerative diseases.
Seminar 5. Computational neuroscience.
Seminar 6. Problem on the therapeutic focus of a patient who presents psychiatric and neurological pathologies simultaneously (e.g. depression in a Parkinson's patient).
4. Assessment
The assessment of academic performance is made with reference to the following scale (out of a total of ten points):
Written test: 50%
Work in seminars: 20%
Oral test and presentation: 30%
Formative assessment: this can add up to 0.5 points to the final mark. The final mark can reach a maximum of 10 points.
5. Bibliography and teaching resources
5.1. Basic bibliography
Principles of Neural Sciences, Kandel et al.
Principles of Cognitive Neuroscience. Dale Purves et al.
5.2. Additional bibliography
This will be communicated during the course.
5.3. Teaching resources
Websites: these will be provided during the course.
6. Methodology
Lectures
Seminars and problem solving
Advanced seminars
Oral test and abstract: the students, split into pairs, will choose a current scientific topic, related to neuroscience, and will write an abstract of no more than one page, including text, references and figures. The work will be presented in a ten-minute oral session, with five minutes allowed for questions.
Individual and group work
7. Programme of activities
The programme of activities is included in the official timetables for the degree course.