This course introduces various methodologies utilized in neurobiological research and demonstrates principles and concepts covered in NSC 201 (BCS 240).
The first part of the course (before spring break) entails structured laboratory experiments focused on neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and molecular approaches to studying neural organization and function. During this portion of the course, you will learn to prepare laboratory reports in the style of a scientific research paper.
The course concludes with a research project that extends over a period of five weeks. Behavioral tests and pharmacological manipulations will be used to explore the role of the basal ganglia in motor behavior. This study culminates with the production of a final research paper.
Grading
Quizzes will be given at the beginning of the class period and are designed to provide incentive for READING THE LAB MANUAL PRIOR TO CONDUCTING THE LAB EXPERIMENTS! The total grade will be distributed as follows:
All assignments must be turned in on the date specified. If a paper must be late, talk to one of the instructors beforehand; a penalty of 5 pts/day will be assessed on any late papers.
Materials on Electronic Reserve
Readings must be downloaded from Blackboard. Only students enrolled in the course have access to the readings.
Gopen, G.D., and Swan, J.A. (1990) The Science of Scientific Writing. American Scientist, 78:550-558.
References associated with 1st Writing Assignment
Arnold, A. P. (1975). The effects of castration and androgen replacement on song, courtship, and aggression in zebra finches (Poephila guttata). J Exp Zool, 191: 309-26.
Arnold, A. P. (1980). Sexual differences in the brain. Am Sci, 68: 165-73.
Gurney, M. E. (1981). Hormonal control of cell form and number in the zebra finch song system. J Neurosci, 1: 658-73.
Gurney, M. E. (1982). Behavioral correlates of sexual differentiation in the zebra finch song system. Brain Res, 231: 153-72.
Immelmann, K. (1969). Song development in the zebra finch and other estrildid finches. In R. A. Hinde, Bird Vocalizations. (61-77). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nottebohm, F., and Arnold, A. P. (1976). Sexual dimorphism in vocal control areas of the songbird brain. Science, 194: 211-3.
Prove, E. (1974). Der Einfluss von Kastration und Testosteronsubstitution auf das Sexualverhalten mannlicher Zebrafinkin (Taeniopygia guttata castanotic Gould). J. Ornith., 115: 338-347.
Exercise 1. Cellular Neuroanatomy (No additional reserve material)
Exercise 2. Electrophysiology
Aidley, D.J. (1998). The Physiology of Excitable Cells. Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. pp. 46-49.
Bean, B. P. (2007) The action potential in mammalian central neurons. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 8, 451-465.
Huxley, A. F. and Stampfli, R. (1951) Effect of potassium and sodium on resting and action potentials of single myelinated nerve fibres. J. Physiol. II2, 496-508.
Koester, J. and Siegelbaum, S. (1995). Chapter 9. Local signaling: Passive electrical properties of the neuron. In: E.R. Kandel, J.H. Schwartz, and T.M. Jessell. Essentials of Neural Science and Behavior. Appleton & Lange, Norwalk, CT, pp. 156-159.
Lilley, S.J. and Robbins, J. (1998) The action of local anaesthetics on the compound action potential is altered by the nature of the permeant ion in frog nerve. Neuroscience Letters, 252, (1), 27 pp 41-44.
Shepherd, G.M. (1999). Electronic properties of axons and dendrites. In: M.J. Zigmond, F.E. Bloom, S.C. Landis, J.L. Roberts, and L.R. Squire, Fundamental Neuroscience, Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 115-117.
Exercise 3. Experiential Regulation of Adult Neurogenesis
Eriksson, P.S., Perfilieva, E., Björk-Eriksson, T., Alborn, A., Nordborg, C., Peterson, D.A., & Gage, F.H. (1998) Neurogenesis in the adult human hippocampus. Nat. Med. 4: 1313-1317.
Kempermann, G., Gage, F.H. (2002) New nerve cells for the adult brain. In: Scientific American: The Hidden Mind: A Special Edition. pp. 38-44.
Kempermann, G., Kuhn, H.G., & Gage, F.H. (1997) More hippocampal neurons in adult mice living in an enriched environment. Nature 386: 493-495.
Kornack, D.R., Rakic, P. (1999) Continuation of neurogenesis in the hippocampus of the adult macaque monkey. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96: 5768-5773.
van Praag, H., Kempermann, G., & Gage, F.H. (1999) Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus. Nat. Neurosci. 2: 266-270.
Zhao, C., Deng, W. & Gage, F.H. (2008) Mechanisms and functional implications of adult neurogenesis. Cell 132: 645-660.
Exercise 4. Role of the Nigrostriatial Pathway in motor behavior
Da Cunha, C., Wietzikoski, E.C., Ferro, M.M., Martinez, G.R., Vital, M.A., Hipolide, D., Tufik, S. & Canteras, N.S. (2008) Hemiparkinsonian rats rotate toward the side with the weaker dopaminergic neurotransmission. Behav Brain Res, 189, 364-372.
Deumens, R., Blokland, A. & Prickaerts, J. (2002) Modeling Parkinson's disease in rats: an evaluation of 6-OHDA lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway. Exp Neurol, 175, 303-317.
Glick, S.D., Jerussi, T.P., and Zimmerberg, B. (1977). Behavioral and neuropharmacological correlates of nigrostriatal asymmetry in rats. In: Lateralization in the Nervous System (S. Harrad et al., eds.), pp. 213-249. Academic Press.
Hefti, F., Melamed, E., Sahakian, B.J. and Wurtman, R.J. (1980). Circling behavior in rats with partial, unilateral nigrostriatal lesions: Effect of amphetamine, apomorphine and DOPA. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 12:185-188.
Robinson, R.E., and Becker, J.B. (1983). The rotational behavior model: asymmetry in the effects of unilateral 6-OHDA lesions of the substantia nigra in rats. Brain Res. 264:127-131.
Shapiro, R.M., Glick, S.D., and Camarota, N.A. (1987). A two-population model of rat rotational behavior: effects of unilateral nigrostriatal 6-hydroxydopamine on striatal neurochemistry and amphetamine-induced rotation. Brain Res. 426:323-331.
Thal, L., Mishra, R.K., Dvorkin, B., and Makman, M.H. (1979). Dopamine antagonist binding increases in two behaviorally distinct striatal denervation syndromes. Brain Res. 170:381.
Truong, L., Allbutt, H., Kassiou, M. & Henderson, J.M. (2006) Developing a preclinical model of Parkinson's disease: a study of behaviour in rats with graded 6-OHDA lesions. Behav Brain Res, 169, 1-9.
Ungerstedt, U. (1971). Use of intracerebral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine as a tool for morphological and functional studies on central catecholamine neurons. In: 6-Hydroxy-dopamine and Catecholamine Neurons, (T. Malmfors and H. Thoenen, eds.), pp. 315-332. North Holland Publishing Co.
Ungerstedt, U. (1971). Postsynaptic supersensitivity after 6-hydroxydopamine induced degeneration of the nigro-striatal dopamine system. Acta Physiol. Scand. Suppl. 367:69.
Zigmond, M.J., E.D. Abercrombie, T.W. Berger, A.A. Grace and E.M. Stricker (1990) Compensations after lesions of central dopaminergic neurons: some clinical and basic implications. Trends in Neurosci. 13: 290-295.
Miscellaneous
Jonah Lehrer (2010) The Truth Wears Off. In: The New Yorker, Dec 13, pg 52-57.