2205 Biological Sciences II; (949) 824-8519
Thomas J. Carew, Department Chair
Faculty
Dana Aswad: Neurochemistry and molecular neurobiology
Lawrence F. Cahill: Brain mechanisms of emotion and memory
Thomas J. Carew: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of memory
Carl Cotman: Brain aging, Alzheimer's, cell biology, biochemistry
Ron D. Frostig: Functional organization of cortex
Christine M. Gall: Regulation of neuronal gene expression
Robert K. Josephson: Design of skeletal muscle
Claudia H. Kawas: Clinical neurology
Herbert P. Killackey: Developmental neuroanatomy
Frank LaFerla: Alzheimer's, neural apoptosis, transgenic animal modeling
Michael Leon: Brain development
John Marshall: Neuropharmacological approaches to behavioral analysis
James L. McGaugh: Neurobiology of learning and memory
Raju Metherate: Synaptic physiology and plasticity in sensory neuroprocesses
Ricardo Miledi: Molecular neurobiology and physiology of ion channels and receptors
Ian Parker: Intracellular calcium and cell signaling
George Sperling: Cognition, vision, and visual perception
Arnold Starr: Cognitive and sensory neuroprocesses
Oswald Steward: Mechanisms of synapse growth and plasticity
Georg Striedter: Neuroethology, behavioral neuroscience, evolutionary neurobiology
Katumi Sumikawa: Molecular neurobiology of synapses
Norman M. Weinberger: Neural bases of attention and learning
John H. Weiss: Excitatory amino acids in neural signaling and neuro-degeneration
Pauline Yahr: Behavioral neuroendocrinology
Neurobiology and Behavior is concerned with the biology of the nervous system and behavior. The Department of Neurobiology and Behavior emphasizes the adaptive aspects of neural and behavioral plasticity. The faculty's research interests include the biochemical, endocrinological, genetic, and experiential determinants of nervous system function and behavior. Focal topics include synaptic processes, neurophysiology, neuroendocrinology, neuroanatomy, molecular neurobiology, neuropharmacology, theoretical neurobiology, arousal and attention, learning and memory, reproductive behavior, and communication. The importance of developmental and comparative approaches to these problems is stressed.
The Department of Neurobiology and Behavior offers graduate training leading to the Ph.D. in Biological Sciences. Graduate students must complete a sequence of core courses (lectures and laboratories) during their first and second years, and maintain an overall GPA of 3.3 or better. They also must take a minimum of four advanced courses before graduation and participate in directed research each year and teaching during the first four years. To advance to candidacy for the Ph.D., students must further prepare a research proposal and must pass an oral examination by the end of the third year. Graduation depends on successful preparation and oral defense of a dissertation based on the student's research. Students are expected to complete this program in six years of study.
Ideally, applicants for this program should have taken undergraduate courses in biology (one introductory year plus some advanced work), psychology (experimental, physiological, and learning), chemistry through biochemistry, introductory physics, calculus, and statistics. They also must submit GRE Aptitude test scores. Because graduate training emphasizes research, preference is given to applicants having laboratory research experience as undergraduates. The Department accepts only those students seeking a doctorate; students who do not successfully complete their course work or who do not advance to candidacy may, with the consent of the faculty, complete a master's thesis and receive an M.S. degree in Biological Sciences. Applicants with substantial outside commitments that would curtail laboratory research or prolong the time to degree are not accepted. Students are encouraged to take the GRE no later than October. The deadline for application is January 7.
200A-B-C Research in Neurobiology and Behavior (2 to 12 per quarter) F, W, S. Individual research supervised by a specific professor. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
201A-B-C Research in Neurobiology and Behavior (2 to 12 per quarter) F, W, S. Individual research supervised by a specific professor. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
210 Learning and Memory (1 to 4). Lecture, four and one-half hours. A survey of the biological basis for learning and memory. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. May be repeated for credit twice.
221A-B Systems Neurobiology (6-2) F, W. Study of the mammalian nervous system at the systems level. Anatomy and physiology of sensory, motor, and integrative functions. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior or Anatomy and Neurobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice for a total of 16 units. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 221A-B.
222 Neurophysiology (4) F. Lecture, three hours. Biophysical mechanisms of membrane potentials, voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels, action potential propagation, synaptic transmission, and intracellular second messenger systems. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior or Anatomy and Neurobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 222.
222L Neurophysiology Laboratory (2) W. Use of contemporary techniques for studying membrane channels and receptors. Methods include extracellular and intracellular recording, patch clamp, quantal analysis of synaptic transmission, heterologous expression of genes encoding channels and receptors, and fluorescence calcium monitoring. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior or Anatomy and Neurobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 222L.
223 Synaptic, Cellular, and Molecular Neurobiology (4) W. Lecture, three hours. Chemical basis of molecular and cellular events in neurobiology, including neurotransmitter biosynthesis and release, structure and function of ion channels, second messenger pathways, gene regulation, and synaptic plasticity. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior or Anatomy and Neurobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 223.
224 Developmental Neurobiology (4) S. Lecture, three hours. Developmental mechanisms involved in formation of the nervous system in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Analysis of cellular mechanisms involved in differentiation, morphogenesis, synaptic connectivity, and electrical activity. Sexual differentiation. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior or Anatomy and Neurobiology graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 224.
239 Functional Imaging of the Nervous System (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Overview of technical and applied aspects of imaging techniques available for studying the nervous system. The areas emphasized are cellular and subcellular imaging of neural function, systems-level imaging of brain function, and imaging of the human brain.
240 Advanced Analysis of Learning and Memory (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Advanced analysis of contemporary research concerning the nature and neurobiological bases of learning and memory. Special emphasis is given to time-dependent processes involved in memory storage. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
241 Advanced Analysis of Hormones and Behavior (4). Lecture and seminar, two hours. Advanced analysis of contemporary research on the sites and mechanisms through which hormones act to modify the brain and behavior developmentally and in adulthood. The focus is on steroid hormones and social behaviors, particularly those related to reproduction or communication. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
242 Development of Synaptic Functions (4). Lecture and seminar, two hours. Analysis of the ontogenetic development of synaptic functions in the brain and peripheral nervous system. Emphasis at the molecular and cellular levels. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
243 Advanced Analysis of Comparative and Developmental Neurobiology (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. The vertebrate nervous system approached from both its phylogenetic and ontogenetic history. Emphasis is given to contemporary experimental approaches to selected neuronal systems. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
244 Biochemistry of Synaptic Plasticity (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Use of the primary literature to explore recent developments in the biochemistry of synaptic transmission that pertain to plasticity, memory, and learning, with a particular emphasis on the role of protein phosphorylation and related signal transduction pathways. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. Same as Molecular Biology and Biochemistry 244.
245 Advanced Topics in the Neurobiology of Aging (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Covers the major topics and rapidly advancing areas in the molecular and cellular events leading to brain aging and dementia. Lectures are presented by investigators active in the fields of aging and neurodegeneration. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
246 Advanced Analysis of Attention and Learning (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Consideration of behavioral and neural aspects of attention. Examination of the concept of "attention" from a behavioral point of view, and classical and current approaches to brain mechanisms which form the substrates of behavioral attention.
248 Topics in Neurobiology and Behavior (4). Studies in selected areas of neurobiology and behavior. May be taken for credit three times.
249 Electronics for Biologists (4). Lecture, three hours; laboratory, four hours. Basic principles of electricity; properties and use of discrete components and integrated circuits; circuit analysis and design. Intended for advanced students in the life sciences. Same as Physiology and Biophysics 205.
250 Basal Ganglia and Movement Disorders (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Principles underlying the organization and functions of the basal ganglia and amygdala are considered. The circuitry, neurotransmitters, and influences on cortex and brainstem motor regions are discussed. Clinical disorders of the basal ganglia, including parkinsonism and ballism, are included. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
251 Clinical Neurology for Neuroscientists (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Presentation of problems of clinical neurology through patient presentation, examination, and discussion. Patients with lesions or defects at various levels of the nervous system are examined. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
252 Chemical Senses (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Advanced analysis of contemporary research on the organization and functioning of the olfactory, taste, vomeronasal, and trigeminal systems. The focus is on how chemosensory information is coded and used for behavioral responses. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
253 Mechanisms of Sensory Cortex Function (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Examination of sensory cortex functions, focusing on auditory cortex. Its cellular mechanisms are examined and compared to those of other sensory modalities and subcortical regions. Physiological approaches are emphasized, but anatomical, molecular, and behavioral approaches are also considered. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
254 Molecular Neurobiology (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. The application of genetic and recombinant DNA technology to neurobiology. Topics include the study of neuronal proteins which play important roles in the formation of synapses and synaptic transmission. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
255 History of Neuroscience (4). An overview of the conceptual and technical foundations of contemporary neuroscience from ancient times to the present. The subjects include synapses, neurons, brain organization, sensory, motor and regulatory systems, learning and memory, human brain function and dysfunction. Concurrent with Biological Sciences 119. May be taken twice for credit.
256 Seminar in Excitotoxicity and Neuronal Injury (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. A review of recent theories concerning mechanisms of neuronal death in brain diseases. Focuses on recent breakthroughs and controversies in the field, with a special emphasis on the role of the excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 225.
257 Advanced Topics in Dementia (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Understanding of dementia becomes increasingly important as individuals live longer and the elderly account for a larger percentage of the population. Topics focus on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders to examine pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and basic research. Lectures are presented by investigators active in dementia. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
258 Advanced Analysis of Neurogenetics (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Analysis of the genetic basis of neurological development and disorders. Emphasis on the approaches used to identify novel, neurologically relevant genes and analysis on the molecular level. Focuses on understanding how genetic changes alter cellular functions and the clinical consequences that ensue. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
259 Cortical Plasticity (4). Lecture and seminar, three hours. Consideration of research on anatomical, physiological, and behavioral aspects of plasticity in the cerebral cortex during development, recovery of function and learning, emphasizing visual, somatosensory, and auditory cortices. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor.
NOTE: Seminar courses numbered 260-283 are open only to Neurobiology and Behavior graduate students and may be repeated as topics vary. In order to earn four units of credit, three quarters must be taken. Partial credit may be earned for individual segments.
260 Seminar in Learning and Memory (1.3) F, W, S
261 Seminar in Systems Dynamics (1.3) F, W, S
262 Seminar in Molecular Neurobiology (1.3) F, W, S
263 Seminar in Comparative and Developmental Neurology (1.3) F, W, S
264 Seminar in Neurochemistry (1.3) F, W, S
265 Seminar on the Chemical Senses (1.3) F, W, S
266 Seminar in Attention and Learning (1.3) F, W, S
267 Seminar in Neural Systems (1.3) F, W, S
268 Calcium and Cell Signaling (1.3) F, W, S
269 Seminar in Neural Injury (1.3) F, W, S
270 Seminar in Neuromechanisms (1.3) F, W, S
271 Seminar in Auditory Neurophysiology (1.3) F, W, S
272 Seminar in Neurophysiology of Behavior (1.3) F, W, S
273 Seminar in Hormones and Behavior (1.3) F, W, S
274 Seminar in Central Trophic Factors and Plasticity (1.3) F, W, S
275 Seminar in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (1.3) F, W, S
276 Seminar in Molecular Neuroscience (1.3) F, W, S
277 Seminar in Neuroethology (1.3) F, W, S
278 Molecular Neuropathology (1.3) F, W, S
279 Seminar in Synaptic Function in Neocortex (1.3) F, W, S
280 Seminar in Genetic Approaches to CNS Injury (1.3) F, W, S
281 Seminar in Vision and Attention (1.3) F, W, S
282 Seminar in Human Brain and Memory (1.3) F, W, S
283 Seminar in Neurobiology (1.3) F, W, S
290 Colloquium in Neurobiology and Behavior (1.3) F, W, S
399 University Teaching (4-4-4) F, W, S. Limited to Teaching Assistants. May be repeated for credit.
400E Spinal Cord Injury Research Techniques (4) Summer. Intensive four-week training course in experimental approaches to spinal cord injury. Laboratory techniques cover pathophysiology, experimental models used, and accepted outcome measures (both functional and anatomical). Lectures and seminars by invited speakers and distinguished scholars-in-residence. Prerequisites: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student and consent of instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 400E.
