DEPARTMENT OF NEUROBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR
2205 McGaugh Hall;
(949) 824-8519
Thomas J. Carew, Department Chair
Faculty
Jorge Busciglio: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease
Lawrence F. Cahill: Brain mechanisms of emotion and memory
Thomas J. Carew: Cellular and molecular mechanisms of memory
Frances S. Chance: Sensory processing by cortical circuitry; single neuron integration; computational modeling or neural networks
Susana Cohen-Cory: Nervous system development; development of synaptic connectivity, neurotrophic factors, in vivo imaging
Carl Cotman: Brain aging, Alzheimer's, cell biology, biochemistry
Karina S. Cramer: Mechanisms of nervous system development; axonal target selection; development of auditory brainstem pathways
Ron D. Frostig: Functional organization of cortex
Christine M. Gall: Regulation of neuronal gene expression
John F. Guzowski: Experience-dependent gene expression in the modification of neural circuits involved in long-term memory formation
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
Michael D. Rugg: Cognitive and neural bases of human memory
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
Shao Jun Tang: Molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity during learning and memory
Andrea J. Tenner: Molecular basis of the enrichment of human leukocyte function
Norman M. Weinberger: Neural bases of attention and learning
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 also participates in the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, described in a previous section.
The Department of Neurobiology and Behavior offers the Ph.D. degree in Biological Sciences. Graduate students must complete a sequence of core courses (lectures and laboratories) during their first year, 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 their first, second, and third years. Students will advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. at the end of their third year by means of a written critical review of the literature in the area in which they plan to do their dissertation, a research proposal, and an oral examination. Graduation depends on successful preparation and oral defense of a dissertation based on the student's research. The normal time for completion of the Ph.D. is five years, and the maximum time permitted is seven years.
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. Applicants with substantial outside commitments that would curtail laboratory research or prolong the time to degree are not accepted. The deadline for application is January 3.
Courses in Neurobiology and Behavior
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.
202A, B, C Foundations of Neuroscience (2, 2, 2). Intended to expose students to critical reading and analysis of the primary neuroscience literature. Instructors from departments associated with the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program participate and discuss topics of current interest. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
206 Molecular Neuroscience (5) F. Surveys molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in neuronal function, including control of gene expression, post-transcriptional and post-translational processing, RNA and protein targeting, cell death mechanisms, and the molecular genetic basis of neurological disorders. Overview of the molecular aspects of developmental neurobiology. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice.
207 Cellular Neuroscience (5) W. Neurophysiological and neurochemical mechanisms of electrical and chemical signaling in neurons. Topics include generation of resting- and action-potentials, voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels, second messenger systems, and synaptic transmission and integration. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice.
207L Cellular Neuroscience Laboratory (2) W. Intensive hands-on laboratory experience of contemporary techniques for studying ion channels and synaptic function. Experiments include microelectrode recording, patch clamp, quantal analysis of synaptic transmission, heterologous expression of genes for channels and receptors, brain slice, and fluorescence calcium imaging. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice.
208A-B Systems Neuroscience (5-5) 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 graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice. Same as Anatomy and Neurobiology 210A-B.
209 Behavioral Neuroscience (5) S. Overview of fundamental conceptual and experimental issues in behavioral neuroscience, emphasizing behavioral endocrinology, aggression, emotion, the neurobiology of learning and memory, and addiction. The approach is a cross-level integration of research in molecular-genetic, cellular, circuit, systems, and behavioral analyses. Prerequisite: Neurobiology and Behavior graduate student or consent of instructor. May be taken for credit twice.
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 Principles of Brain Evolution (4). Lecture, two hours. Brains obviously differ between different species, yet many commonalities exist. Surveys species similarities and differences in brain organization, then extracts some general principles of how brains evolve. Emphasis placed on vertebrate brains and on the functional implications of neuroanatomical change. Concurrent with Biological Sciences N117. Same as Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 243.
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 N119. 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.
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.
267 Seminar in Neurobiology and Behavior (1.3). Open only to Neurobiology and Behavior graduate students. May be repeated for credit.
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.
