MSc School of Human Health and Performance
       
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Course information, 2006/2007
Neuroscience

15 credit M Sc Module

Organiser Professor Bruce Lynn

Aims: to provide an update on current ideas in cellular and systems neuroscience. To revise basic neuroanatomy.

Objectives

To have a sound knowledge of the basic anatomy of the central nervous system.
To understand the main current ideas concerning the cellular mechanisms underlying disorders of the nervous systems.
To be able to describe the organization of major functional systems within the brain and spinal cord (e.g. sensory systems, autonomic nervous system etc).

Locations:

Lectures and Tutorials, Room 337 Rockefeller Building, Neuroanatomy Workshops,            
Dissecting Room, Ground Floor, Rockefeller Building, University St

Course Content

Previous knowledge assumed The course is designed for students with a professional interest in neurological problems and with degree level training in areas such as physiotherapy.

It will assume students know the things listed below, i.e. they can give a brief definition of them. If this is not the case, or these topics are a distant memory, then some preparation for the course will be needed. This might be the reading of the introductory chapter in a typical medical neuroscience text.

Major anatomical divisions of the nervous system. Cns, pns. Grey matter, white matter.

CNS: spinal cord, medulla, pons, midbrain, diencephalon, forebrain, ventricles, CSF
PNS: Somatic and visceral afferents, somatic efferents, cranial nerves; spinal roots, posterior (dorsal; sensory), anterior (ventral, motor).
Autonomic n.s. Parasympathetic (cranio-sacral), Sympathetic (thoraco-lumbar). Pre-, post-ganglionics, ganglia.


Glia
Basic structure of neurone. Soma, dendrite, axon. Axon types, A (myelinated), C (non-myelinated). Myelin.
Neuronal cell physiology. Resting potential (potassium ions), action potential (sodium ions), nerve conduction, velocity range (1-100m/sec). Demyelination.
Synapses, including neuromuscular junction (nmj). Chemical neurotransmission. Synaptic delay (ca 1msec). Transmitters, nmj, acetylcholine (ACh), muscle relaxants; Cns, glutamate; autonomic, adrenaline, ACh, blockers.
Synaptic processing. Convergence, divergence, spatial and temporal summation, inhibition.
Sensory systems

Vision, retina, rods, cones, 3 types, colour vision, visual pathway, visual cortex.
Hearing, cochlea, auditory pathway, auditory cortex.
Taste, taste buds, tongue.
Olfaction, olfactory mucosa.


Motor systems
Motoneurones, final common path.
Motor cortex, corticospinal neurones, pyramidal tract.
Extrapyramidal systems, red nucleus.
Cerebellum, basal ganglia.

Reflexes, Afferent limb, efferent limb, interneurones. Stretch reflex. Flexion reflex.

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