|
|
|
 |
Schedules & LinksSpring 2014
WS = Washington Square Campus Course DescriptionsThe descriptions below are generic. For time-sensitive information regarding a course, please see our course schedules pages. REGULARLY OFFERED COURSESIntroduction to Neural Science NEURL-UA 100. Identical to BIOL-UA 100 Prerequisites: BIOL-UA 11 (Bio I) and BIOL-UA 12 (Bio II) Instructor: Faculty Semester: Fall 4 points An introductory lecture course covering the fundamental principles of neuroscience. Topics will include: principles of brain organization; structure and ultrastructure of neurons; neurophysiology and biophysics of excitable cells; synaptic transmission; neurotransmitter systems and neurochemistry; neuropharmacology; neuroendocrine relations; molecular biology of neurons; development and plasticity of the brain; aging and diseases of the nervous system; organization of sensory and motor systems; structure and function of cerebral cortex; modelling of neural systems. Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology NEURL-UA 210. Identical to BIOL-UA 201 Prerequisites: BIOL-UA 21 (Molec & Cell Bio I), NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro), and PHYS-UA 12 (Physics II) Recommended: CHEM-UA 225 (Orgo I) Instructors: Faculty Semester: Fall 4 points A lecture course that provides students with broad exposure to current questions and experimental approaches in cellular neuroscience. Lectures are organized into three areas: cell structure and organization of the vertebrate central nervous system, mechanisms underlying neural signaling and plasticity, and control of cell form and its developmental determinants. Lab for Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology NEURL-UA 211 Prerequisites: BIOL-UA 21 (Molec & Cell Bio I), NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro), and PHYS-UA 12 (Physics II) Recommended: CHEM-UA 225 (Orgo I) Instructors: Faculty Semester: Fall For Honors-Track students only 2 points A laboratory course that provides students with broad exposure to experimental approaches in cellular neuroscience. Laboratories are organized into two areas: cell structure and organization of the vertebrate central nervous system, and mechanisms underlying neural signaling and plasticity. Laboratory instruction is given in anatomical, physiological, and biochemical methods for investigating the biology of nerve cells. Behavioral and Integrative Neural Science NEURL-UA220. Identical to BIOL-UA202 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) Instructors: Faculty Semester: Spring 4 points The lecture and laboratory courses address the physiological and anatomical bases of behavior. Lectures and laboratory experiments will emphasize mammalian sensory, motor, regulatory, and motivational mechanisms involved in the control of behavior, and higher mental processes such as those involved in language and memory Lab for Behavioral and Integrative Neural Science NEURL-UA 221 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) Instructors: Faculty Semester: Spring For Honors-Track students only 2 points The lecture and laboratory courses address the physiological and anatomical bases of behavior. Lectures and laboratory experiments will emphasize mammalian sensory, motor, regulatory, and motivational mechanisms involved in the control of behavior, and higher mental processes such as those involved in language and memory. Honors Seminar NEURL-UA 301 Prerequisites: Acceptance to the honors program and senior standing Instructor: Faculty Semester: Spring 4 points Intended for honors-track juniors or seniors currently conducting research towards their honors thesis. Covers both practical and theoretical aspects of succeeding in science with topics such as scientific writing, authorship and publication practices, navigating mentorship relationships, and oral presentation skills. Structured as a weekly seminar class with active participation, including student presentation of journal articles and varying length presentations of students' own research projects. Special Topics in Neural Science NEURL-UA 302 Prerequisites: Varies per class, usually NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: Faculty Semester: Fall and Spring 4 points A seminar course providing in-depth treatment of an area of current interest in neuroscience. Lectures will present background material and address current problems in the area related to the topic. Students will read and discuss review articles and current literature on the topic. Course content will be determined on a semester-by- semester basis. EXAMPLES OF PAST SPECIAL TOPICS COURSES Special Topics: Neurobiology of Brain Disorders NEURL-UA 302.001 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) Pre-or co-requisite: NEURL-UA 210 (Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology) Instructor: Klann Semester: Fall 4 points This course will explore the biological basis of multiple diseases of the brain. Lectures will be based on the primary literature and will link basic, translational, and clinical research, covering the genetic, developmental, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying major categories of brain disorders. Examples of brain disorders that will be discussed include neurodevelopmental disorders (autism spectrum disorder and fragile X syndrome), neuropsychiatric disorders (schizophrenia and addiction), and neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and frontotemporal dementia). Special Topics: Molecular Mechanisms of Memory NEURL-UA 302.003 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) or permission of the instructor Instructor: Carew Semester: Fall 4 points The goals of the course are threefold: 1.Gain a basic understanding of the molecular approaches used in the analysis of learning and memory. 2. Learn to critically evaluate and present original literature in the field. 3. Learn to work as a member of a team in preparing and presenting Project Proposals. The course will be focused on three powerful model systems that have provided seminal insights into the molecular architecture of learning and memory: (i) Aplysia,(ii) Drosophila, and (iii) the Hippocampus. Special Topics: Neural Basis of Color Vision NEURL-UA 302.004 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: Shapley Semester: Fall 4 points Color is an important part of our lives. The seminar course will cover color perception facts such as trichromacy, opponent colors, unique hues, color contrast, and color induction. Then we will read and discuss review articles and primary literature, both classical and recent, on the neural mechanisms in the retina and in the cerebral cortex that are the basis for color perception. We will focus on single opponent cells in the retina and double opponent cells in the visual cortex: their functional connectivity and response patterns, and their role in color perception. Special Topics: Computational Neuroscience of Elemental Cognition NEURL-UA 302.005 Prerequisites: Introduction to neuroscience, Calculus or linear algebra; or permission of instructor Instructor: Wang Semester: Fall 4 points This is an advanced undergraduate / graduate course. It covers the basic ideas and methods of modeling single neurons, recurrent neural networks, synaptic plasticity and learning. The focus is on the neural circuit mechanisms of core cognitive functions such as decision-making and working memory, both in local neural networks and multi-regional large-scale brain systems. Special Topics: Neuroethology NEURL-UA 302.005 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: Long Semester: Fall 4 points This seminar course focuses on a selected group of species that have developed incredible talents which enable them to solve specific problems within their environments, ranging from honeybee communication to echolocation in bats. Primary research articles will comprise the majority of the readings with supportive textbook material, and a high degree of student participation is expected. Students will independently investigate a unique system which will form the basis for a term paper and an oral presentation to the class, and students are expected to lead the discussion of the primary literature. Special Topics: Bayesian Modeling of Behavior NEURL-UA 302.006 Prerequisites: Calculus I and Statistics Instructor: Ma Semester: Fall 4 points This course will provide an intuitive yet mathematically rigorous introduction to Bayesian models of behavior in perception, memory, decision-making, and cognitive reasoning. This course is not about Bayesian data analysis, but about theories that the brain itself is a Bayesian decision-maker. Nevertheless, we will spend some time on model fitting and model comparison. The course will be taught at an introductory level, with many examples and basic exercises. Didactic principles will be strictly adhered to. If you wish to analyze your own data in a Bayesian framework, there will be an opportunity to do so in a final project. Special Topics: Perceptual Dynamics NEURL-UA 302.002 Prerequisites: Calculus I-II (seek consent of instructor if in doubt) Instructor: Rinzel Semester: Spring 4 points This is a seminar course to develop familiarity with dynamics, behavioral and neuronal, associated with a range of perceptual phenomena. The format will be mixed: lectures, journal-club-like presentation of papers, and exploration with computer-driven stimuli. We will discuss neuronal mechanistic models and computational models to go with the behavior. Our approach will be case-study; relevant background will be presented. We will emphasize auditory perception (spatial hearing, pitch, auditory scene analysis) but we will likely include case studies from vision (e.g., binocular rivalry) and we may touch on time perception. Computer codes will be with Matlab, likely pre-written and modifiable by students; Matlab expertise is not a pre-requisite. Special Topics: Inhibitory Synapses in Brain Function and Disorders NEURL-UA 302.003 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) or permission of the instructor Instructor: Kotak Semester: Spring 4 points An overview of inhibitory circuits, plasticity and involvement in human disorders will be presented. Whereas greater emphasis will be on synaptic inhibition, discussions will be in context of excitatory synapses, firing properties and discharge patterns, and intrinsic voltage-gated currents. Each lecture will consider issues published in scientific reviews and classic as well as contemporary papers, beginning with overlaying systems level issues and dysfunctions. Cellular, synaptic, and some key intracellular biochemical mechanisms in relation to processing and functional imbalance will be included. Special Topics: Adolescence as a Critical Period for Developmental Plasticity of the Brain NEURL-UA 302.004 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 210 (Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology) and NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) Instructor: Aoki Semester: Spring 4 points Adolescence is characterized by great bursts in creativity and energy, but is also the stage when many mental illnesses emerge for the first time. Why are teens more vulnerable to addiction, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders? How is the teen brain different from a child's brain or an adult's brain? These are some of the questions that will be addressed through critical readings and discussions. Each student will have two opportunities to present papers and lead discussions. Course grade will be based on quiz scores, class presentations, class participation and a term paper. Special Topics: Neural Data Analysis NEURL-UA 302.005 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) and MATH-UA 121 (Calculus I) Instructor: Ma Semester: Spring 4 points This course will provide a probability-based introduction to fundamental concepts and techniques in statistics as relevant to neuroscience. We will cover probability distributions, estimation, hypothesis testing, and resampling approaches. We will pay special attention to the assumptions behind common methods. The course will emphasize the ability to work with data yourself and will be a good preparation for doing research in neuroscience. Special Topics: Neurogenetics NEURL-UA 302.002 Prerequisites: Pre-requisite: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) and BIOL-UA 21 (Molec & Cell Bio I) Instructor: Kaplow Semester: Fall 4 points Understanding the relationship between genes and behavior will be the primary goal of this course. Students will learn both classic and contemporary genetic tools that are utilized by researchers to study behaviors such as courtship, addiction, memory, sleep and aggressive behavior. The course will focus on learning model systems (fruit flies, nematodes, zebrafish, and mice) amenable to genetic manipulation. The course will also discuss the relationship among genetics, development, and neural circuitry. Through analyzing and presenting primary scientific articles, students will communicate their understanding of neurogenetics. Students will examine research topics that are at the forefront in the field of neurogenetics and behavior. Special Topics: Environmental Effects on Brain Development NEURL-UA 302.006 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) and BIOL-UA 21 (Molec & Cell Bio I) Co-requisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) Instructor: Kaplow Semester: Spring 4 points The focus of this class will be to learn the environmental effects, including the epigenetic modification, on nervous system development. Students will learn the mechanisms of early neural development, including important signals that organize the nervous system. The course will reveal the effects of chemicals on altering nervous system development and function. Students will study the impact of external factors such as stress and positive social interactions on gene expression, and, in turn, how these factors influence brain development. Students will discuss and analyze scientific papers pertaining to the effects of the environment on nervous system development. Students will develop scientific writing skills through writing a review on scientific journal articles. Special Topics: Exercise, Meditation and the Brain NEURL-UA 302.008 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neural Science) >br> Co-requisite: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) Instructor: Suzuki Semester: Spring 4 points In this class we will examine and sample forms of exercise and meditation that have been shown to have effects on the brain's anatomy, physiology and function. We will focus on studies of aerobic exercise, yoga and meditation. We will explore the brain basis and mechanisms of the effects of exercise (typically wheel running in rats) in animal studies as well as the most recent findings on the effects of various forms of aerobic exercise, yoga and meditation in people. We will sample aerobic exercise, yoga and meditation in class. This class will include lecture/discussion, group-based discussion and hypothesis development, debates and oral presentations in class. Special Topics: Emotional Brain NEURL-UA 302.0012 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: LeDoux Semester: Spring 4 points Emotions play a significant role in human experience. But just how emotions emerge from neural tissue is controversial. Our ability to understand the brain is only as good as our understanding of what we are asking of the brain. In this class we will discuss the conventional wisdom about emotions, and why it is wrong. Special Topics: Classic Papers in Neuroscience NEURL-UA 302.012 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 210 (Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology) and NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) Instructor: Dudai Semester: Spring 4 points The course will present and discuss a selection of pioneering, notable experimental papers that became classics in neuroscience. These papers sample a spectrum of topics, methods and levels of analysis. In each case, we will discuss the roots and rationale of the work, the results, the extent to which these results withstood the test of time, and the long-term impact on the field of neuroscience. Additional papers or reviews reflecting subsequent developments in the field will also be discussed in each case. Special Topics: Art Meets Brain NEURL-UA 302 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: Suzuki Semester: Fall 4 points The goal of Art Meets Brain is to explore the underlying neurobiology of some of the highest cognitive functions expressed by humans. These include music learning and generation, emotion and acting and the manipulation of attention in performances of magic. Specifically, we will explore how one approaches the study of these functions in both animal and human systems using fundamental scientific experimental design. The course will be enhanced by a range of guest artists and neuroscientists who will share their expertise in these fields. The major working sessions of the semester will focus on group-based learning led by Suzuki to start to hone your skills at exploring new topic areas, analyzing them and finally designing original experiments to test specific working hypotheses. Special Topics: Neural Basis of Color Vision NEURL-UA 302.005 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: Shapley Semester: Spring 4 points Color is an important part of our lives. The seminar course will cover color perception facts such as trichromacy, opponent colors, unique hues, color contrast, and color induction. Then we will read and discuss review articles and primary literature, both classical and recent, on the neural mechanisms in the retina and in the cerebral cortex that are the basis for color perception. We will focus on single opponent cells in the retina and double opponent cells in the visual cortex: their functional connectivity and response patterns, and their role in color perception. Special Topics: Advanced Perception NEURL-UA 302.006. Identical to PSYCH-UA 61 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro), and NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS); or PSYCH-UA 001 (Intro to Psych) and PSYCH-UA 22 (Perception) Instructor: Faculty Semester: Fall; every other year The objective of this course is to master the fundamental facts and concepts of perceptual psychology and sensory neuroscience, focusing on visual perception, visual neuroscience and computational neuroscience. This is an interdisciplinary field of science, crossing the boundaries between psychology, biology, physics and engineering. This course is intended for neural science majors and psychology majors that are on track for careers in science and medicine. This course is also appropriate for students in the psychology master's degree program. Topics include: neurophysiology and neuroanatomy; psychophysics; neuroimaging; linear systems theory; signal detection theory; light and the eye; physiology and anatomy of the retina; color vision; brightness and contrast; pattern and texture perception; perception of depth and size; visual motion perception; object recognition; attention and awareness. Special Topics: Introduction to Computer Modeling of Neuronal Systems NEURL-UA 302.005 Prerequisites: Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience) and Calculus I or II, if in doubt ask instructor Instructor: Rinzel Semester: Spring 4 points We will use neural modeling software (and pre-written Matlab codes) to understand how neurons, synapses, and networks/systems work. We will simulate cellular neurophysiology experiments to explore resting and action potentials, firing properties, synaptic conductances and synaptic integration. Idealized models (firing rate and probability-based functional descriptions) will be used for system-level and network properties including receptive fields, perceptual and cognitive dynamics including decision-making, perceptual grouping and perceptual multistability. The software will include dynamic visualization and animation tools. The course will involve classroom lectures and interactive computing lab sessions, homework and a simulation project. No programming experience is necessary. Special Topics: Introduction to Theoretical Neuroscience NEURL-UA 302.011 and 302.012 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) and MATH-UA 121 (Calculus I) Instructor: Ma Semester: Spring 4 points This course will introduce concepts and techniques related to the modeling of neural systems and behavior at an elementary level. The course will span the breadth of neuroscience, from ions to behavior. However, for each of those areas, we will study only one or two equations, calculations, or models in depth. We will also discuss modern applications of theoretical neuroscience. Throughout the course, we will use both math and numerical simulations. Several tutorials will be integrated into the course: on the programming language Python, scientific notation, differential equations, probability, and matrices. Special Topics: Biology of Memory - Systems and Diseases NEURL-UA 302.017 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 220 (Behav & Integ NS) Instructor: Alberini Semester: Spring 4 points The course will present the fundamentals of the molecular mechanisms underlying memory formation, storage and retrieval. It will discuss how these mechanisms can be used to enhance or disrupt memory storage. The course will review and discuss the most relevant and contemporary publications in the field. Special Topics: Neuroscience, Popular Press and Government Policy NEURL-UA 302.025 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) and BIOL-UA 21 (Molec & Cell Bio I) Instructor: Kaplow Semester: Spring 4 points The main objective of this course is to closely examine the relationship between neural science research, popular media, and government policy. Students will analyze scientific research papers and discuss the dissemination of results to the general public. Students will be assigned a scientific article in the field of neuroscience to present to the class. Students will critique both scientific journal articles and corresponding popular press articles, discussing the strengths and weakness of each article. Topics of discussion will include: How are the innovations in the field of neuroscience communicated to the public? What details are edited and filtered out when communicating neuroscience to the public? What is the right balance for communicating research and should limitations be included? What findings are typically highlighted in popular media and why? Students will also discuss the impact of neuroscience research on shaping government policy. and contemporary publications in the field. Development and Dysfunction of the Nervous System NEURL-UA 305 Prerequisites: NEURL-UA 100 (Intro to Neuro) and NEURL-UA 210 (Cell & Molec NB), or permission of the instructor Instructor: Sanes Semester: Spring 4 points This course will explore how the nervous system develops in normal animals, and how genetic and epigenetic factors can disrupt these processes. Lectures on normal developmental mechanisms will be interleaved with those on disorders to provide a solid foundation for our discussions of abnormal events during maturation. The lectures on normal development cover a broad range of topics including differentiation, axon outgrowth, synapse formation, specificity of connections, and plasticity. The lectures on dysfunction include autism, dyslexia, mental retardation, specific language impairment, hearing loss, blindness, ADHD, demyelinating or neurodegenerative disorders, and axon regeneration. The major goals of the course will be to understand the extent to which current theories can explain the etiology of each disorder, and to learn how basic research can best facilitate advances in our knowledge and, ultimately, lead to treatments or cures. Independent Study NEURL-UA 997 (Fall). NEURL-UA 998 (Spring) Instructor: Faculty Semester: Fall; Spring 1-4 points Independent study with a Center for Neural Science faculty member. Open to advanced neural science majors with permission of the director of undergraduate studies. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Back to top
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
 | | | Accessibility |
|
All contents © New York University. All rights reserved. Revised: 12-Nov-2014 3:30PM |