THIS IS A
PRELIMINARY SYLLABUS
G80.3500001 (Graduate course ID)
V80.0305001
(Undergraduate course ID)
V80.0305002
(Undergraduate recitation ID)
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Development
& Dysfunction of the Nervous System |
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FALL 2007 |
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(revised 11 July 2007) |
Faculty
Dan Sanes
1009 Meyer
998-3924
sanes@cns.nyu.edu
Office hours: after
class or by appointment
Teaching
Assistant
Emma Sarro
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Schedule |
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LECTURES |
Tuesday &
Thursday |
RECITATION |
Wednesday |
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11:00 - 12:15 PM |
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12:30 - 1:45 PM |
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Meyer 815 |
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Meyer 815 |
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Reading |
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Assigned: |
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Development of
the Nervous System, Second Edition (Academic Press, 2006) |
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DH Sanes, TA Reh,
WA Harris |
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PDF files of primary
research and review articles will be available on Blackboard |
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Supplemental: |
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Developmental
Biology, Seventh Edition (Sinauer Associates, 2003) |
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SF Gilbert |
Recitation
The recitation section will serve multiple purposes: (1) An
alternate lecture time, (2) an informal setting to discuss how to write a
scientific paper and make a scientific presentation, and (3) a journal club to
discuss a primary research article in depth.
Exams
There will be no
exams.
Short Paper
There will be a short paper due after one month that
reviews at least 3 primary research articles on a neural disorder that is due
either to an inborn error of metabolism, or exposure to a pathogen (e.g.,
virus, bacteria), mutagen (e.g., radiation), or teratogen (e.g., mercury,
retinoic acid, drugs of abuse) during fetal development. The paper should be 5
pages in length (double spaced, 12pt type), and is to be submitted by email by
October 3rd
Term Paper
The purpose of the term
paper and in-class presentation is to learn how to read and evaluate primary
research articles. The Term paper will critically evaluate at least 10 primary
research articles in one area of neural disorders, and will conclude with a
proposed experiment. The topic must be unrelated to that chosen for the Short
paper.
Topic
Each student will
propose a topic for comment. Once the topic is approved, each student will
perform an on-line search of the literature to identify 10 primary research
articles that will be evaluated in the term paper. An outline of the term paper
will then be prepared and submitted (due on October 22). The final paper is due on November 20.
Term paper format
In the first page, briefly introduce
the disorder, and describe an area of basic research that is associated with
it. Address whether or not the selected primary research articles lead to a
cohesive theory that explains the neural pathology.
In the pages that follow this introduction,
describe the specific experiments, results, and conclusions. This section
should include a comparison of the findings from each paper.
In the final two
pages,
describe an open question about the disorder and propose a basic research study
that could address the problem.
Length
Double spaced, 12 pt
font, 1" margins
Minimum of 5 pages
to maximum of 10 pages of text, plus
a bibliography
Figures are
optional; they are placed at the end and do not count towards the length
Presentation
Each student will deliver
a presentation based upon the term paper topic. The presentation should be in
PowerPoint format (or something similar), and it must not exceed 20 mins; there
will be a brief question period after each talk. I *strongly* encourage you to practice the talk in advance
so that you remain within the 20 minute limit.
Important Due
Dates (in each case, submit MSWord doc to me via email):
October 3 Short
paper due
October 24 Term
paper outline due
November 20 Term
paper due
Nov 29 - Dec 11 Presentations
Grading
The final grade for the course will be determined from
your performance on the short paper (25%), the term paper (50%), and an oral
presentation of your term paper topic (25%). Oral participation is an
obligatory component of the course and failure to participate will result in a
grade reduction of 0.3, on the 0-4 scale). Extra credit assignments are not
available. Extensions are granted for documented health issues or personal
emergencies.
Schedule of Lectures, Recitations, & Exams
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Sept 4 |
Induction, Polarity,
Segmentation |
Chapter 1-2 |
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Sept 5 |
Short paper assignment |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Sept 6 |
Birth & Migration |
Chapter 3 |
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Sept 11 |
Developmental Disorders: Fetal
alcohol syndrome |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Sept 12 |
Differentiation |
Chapter 4 |
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Sept 13 |
Developmental Disorders:
HuntingtonŐs & triplet repeats |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Sept 18 |
Growth Cones & Pathfinding |
Chapter 5 (111-123) |
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Sept 19 |
Term paper:
Selecting research articles & writing an outline |
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Sept 20 |
Growth Cones & Pathfinding |
Chapter 5 (124-138) |
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Sept 25 |
Demyelination |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Sept 26 |
Traumatic Brain Injury: Axonal
Regeneration |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Sept 27 |
Target Recognition |
Chapter 6 |
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Oct 2 |
Topographic Maps |
Chapter 6 |
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Oct 3 |
Journal club format (Short paper due) |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Oct 4 |
Developmental Disorders: ADHD |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Oct 9 |
Naturally Occurring Neuron Cell
Death |
Chapter 7 (173-191) |
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Oct 10 |
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Oct 11 |
Survival Factors and Pathways |
Chapter 7 (192-206) |
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Oct 16 |
Neurodegenerative Disorders |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Oct 17 |
Journal club format |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Oct 18 |
Formation of Synaptic Contacts |
Chapter 8 (207-225) |
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Oct 23 |
Maturation of Synapse Function |
Chapter 8 (226-245) |
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Oct 24 |
Journal club format (Term paper outline due) |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Oct 25 |
Developmental Disorders: Autism
& Williams Syndrome |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Oct 30 |
Elimination of Synaptic
Connections |
Chapter 9 (247-255) |
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Oct 31 |
Journal club format |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Nov 1 |
Experience-dependent
Modification |
Chapter 9 (256-270) |
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Nov 6 |
no class -
Society for Neuroscience Meeting |
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Nov 7 |
no class -
Society for Neuroscience Meeting |
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Nov 8 |
Developmental Disorders: Fragile
X & MR |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Nov 13 |
Schizophrenia [Dan Javitt, NKI] confirmed date |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Nov 14 |
Journal club format |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Nov 15 |
Cellular Mechanisms of Synaptic
Plasticity |
Chapter 9 (271-287) |
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Nov 20 |
Sensory Development (Term paper due) |
Chapter 10 |
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Nov 21 |
no class |
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Nov 22 |
no class |
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Nov 27 |
Hearing Loss |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Nov 28 |
Blindness & strabismus |
PDF files (Blackboard) |
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Nov 29 |
Student Presentations 1 |
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Dec 4 |
Student Presentations 2 |
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Dec 5 |
Student Presentations 3 |
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Dec 6 |
Student Presentations 4 |
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Dec 11 |
Student Presentations 5 |
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Dec 12 |
out of town |
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