BSCI 338N: Neurobiology of Disease
Spring 2013
Joshua Singer, PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Biology
Office (Bio-sciences research building, room 1112) hours: Mon. and Thu. 12:30-1:30 PM
Aims:
1) To obtain a general overview of human neuroanatomy through the study of human diseases
2) To gain a general understanding of some common pathologies of the human nervous system
Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday 2 PM in Tawes Fine Arts Building Room 1100
Books:
Required:Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Cases, 2nd ed. by Blumenfeld (Sinauer)
Highly recommended:
1)Sidman’sNeuroanatomy: A programmed Learning Tool, 2nded. By Gould and Breuckner (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins)
2)A good neuroscience text (e.g., From Neuron to Brain by Nicholls et al.; Neuroscience by Purves et al.; Principles of Neuroscience by Kandel at al.)
Class participation and attendance required:
- Seven (or so) students have been assigned to answer questions at each lecture (this does not preclude others from asking or answering questions).
- Groups of students have been assigned to lead the review of the in-class exams.
Evaluation:
- 4 in-class exams of equivalent weight: 2/26/13, 4/2/13, 4/30/13, 5/9/13
- The first 3 exams are not cumulative; the last will be a cumulative “final”.
- Poor participation: deduct a grade (e.g., a B+ becomes a B)
- Depending on the class’ performance, final grades may be assigned using a curve; if a curve is used, the C+/B- border will be set at the median grade.
Grading policy (per UMD guidelines;
A: denotes excellent mastery of the subject and outstanding scholarship
B: denotes good mastery of the subject and good scholarship
C: denotes acceptable mastery of the subject and the usual achievement expected
D: denotes borderline understanding of the subject (marginal performance)
F: denotes failure to understand the subject and unsatisfactory performance
Class schedule (Spring 2013):
January 24: Introduction to the class and to neuro-imaging (Blum. Ch. 4)
January 29, 31: Corticospinal tract (Blum. Ch. 6); Abbaszadeh-Bennett
February 5, 7: Somatosensory pathways (Blum. Ch. 7); Bozick-DeRobertis
February 12, 14: Nerve roots plexuses (Blum. Chs. 8 and 9); Friedman-Hahn
February 19: ALS and MS (reading)
February 21: Dr. Irving Weinberg: diagnostic neuro-imaging
February 26: Exam
February 28: Exam Review (Abbaszadeh-Hahn)
March 5, 7: Brainstem and cranial nerves (Blum. Chs. 12-14); Harry-Kang
March 12, 14: Cerebellum ataxias (Blum. Ch. 15, reading); Kashtelyan-Mani
March 26, 28: Basal ganglia Parkinson’s disease (Blum. Ch. 16, reading); Markowitz-Rao
April 2: Exam
April 4: Exam review (Harry-Rao)
April 9: The limbic system (Blum. Ch. 18);Rezvani-Tchopev
April 11: Dr. Matthew Roesch: neural circuits for motivation and reward
April 16: The visual system (Blum. Ch. 11); Rezvani-Tchopev
April 18: Dr. Thomas Hyde: schizophrenia
April 23, 25: Higher cortexAlzheimer’s Disease (Blum. Ch 19, reading); Thaker-Yi
April 30: Exam
May 2: Exam review (Rezvani-Yi)
May 9: Final Exam (1 hour)