NSC/BCS 243: Neurochemical Foundations of Behavior

Fall 2005

Time:

Tuesdays & Thursdays, 9:40 AM-10:55 AM

Instructor

Professor Carol Kellogg
Office: Meliora 186, 275-4801
Office Hours: After class or by appointment
Email: kellogg[at]bcs.rochester.edu
Web: http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/neuro/

Workshop Leader

David Bishoff
Email: db005k[at]mail.rochester.edu

Course Intent

This course is intended to introduce you to the field of neurochemistry. Basic neurochemistry includes study of the chemical composition of the brain, brain metabolism and the chemistry of neurotransmission. Methodological development over the latter part of the 20th century has allowed investigation down to nuclear levels. About half of the course will cover the chemistry of neural transmission and a quarter will cover chemical composition and metabolism. The discipline of behavioral neurochemistry includes topics that range from study of the neurochemical mechanisms that underlie normal behavior to behavioral sequellae that result from severe neurochemical abnormalities. These issues will be considered in the final quarter of the course in a unit designated as functional neurochemistry. However, throughout the course, the functional aspects of all neurochemical mechanisms will be discussed. An introductory knowledge of biochemistry will be helpful in understanding the material presented. NSC 201 is a prerequisite for this course.

Texts

No single text satisfactorily covers all the material included in this course. Chapters will be assigned from the following books, all of which are on 2-hr. reserve at Carlson Library.

Basic Neurochemistry, Molecular, Cellular and Medical Aspects. Sixth Edition. Siegel, G.J., Agranoff, B.W., Albers, R.W., Fisher, S.K., Uhler, M.D. (eds.), Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 1999. Twenty-five of the 54 chapters in this book have been assigned so these chapters cannot be placed on electronic reserve. This book should be purchased.

Neurobiology of Mental Illness. Charney, D.S., Nestler, E.J., Bunney, B.S. (eds.), Oxford University Press, 1999. Two chapters in this book have been assigned, and these chapters will be on electronic reserve. There is a more recent edition of this book, but the content of these two chapters did not change with the new edition, so the archived versions will be used.

The Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology, Eighth Edition. Cooper, J.R., Bloom, F.E., Roth, R.H., Oxford University Press, 2003. Three chapters in this book have been assigned as primary reading and four others suggested. The assigned chapters will be on electronic reserve. This edition is not currently available at Carlson library.

Additional assigned readings will be placed on electronic reserve.

Examinations

The course is arranged into four units. An in-class exam will be given at the end of each of the first three units. A take-home exam will cover the fourth unit. Problem analysis workshops will be held for each unit. The take-home exam questions will be handed out at the last class period and the exam will be due on the day that the final exam for the course is scheduled. Each exam will account for 25% of your final grade. The in-class exams involve data analysis and interpretation. The take-home exam will be an essay format and the answers will require integration of diverse material.

Course Schedule and Assigned Readings

*Denotes Readings on Electronic Reserve

09/01: Overview of the Course
An historical introduction to neurochemistry
PART ONE: General and Macromolecular Neurochemistry
09/06: Regulating the Brain Microenvironment
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 32
09/08: Carbohydrate Utilization and Energy Metabolism
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 31
*Paulson, O.B. (2002). Blood-brain barrier, brain metabolism and cerebral blood flow. Eur. Neuropharmacol., 12:494-501
09/13: Proteins in the Brain
*Tobin, A.J. (1994). Gene expression in the mammalian nervous system. In Siegel, et al., Basic Neurochemistry, Fifth Edition, Ch. 24, pp. 493-513;
*Charney, et al., Ch. 6;
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 26
09/15: Lipids: Multiple Roles
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 2, 3
*Haag, M. (2003). Essential fatty acids and the brain. Can.J.Psychiatry, 48:195-203.
09/20: Calcium: Sculptor and Destroyer of Cells
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 23
09/22: Macromolecular influences in Neuronal Death and Survival
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 19 and 34, pp. 722-728 (Free radicals)
*Haeberlein, S.L.B. (2004). Mitochondrial function in apoptotic neuronal cell death. Neurochem. Research, 29:521-530.
09/27: EXAM ONE
PART TWO: Transmitter Neurochemistry: Presynaptic Mechanisms
09/29: Acetylcholine
*Cooper, et al., Ch. 7
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 10
10/04: Catecholamines
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 12
Also, extensive coverage can be found in Cooper, et al., Chs. 8, 9
10/06: Serotonin
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 13 (or Cooper, et al., Ch. 10)
10/11: Amino Acids
*Cooper, et al., Ch. 6
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 15, 16
10/13: Peptides and Transmitter Coexistence
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 18; Cooper, et al., Ch. 11
*Furness, J.B., Morris, J.L., Gibbins, I.L., Costa, M. (1989). Chemical Coding of Neurons and Plurichemical Transmission. Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. Toxicol., 29:298-306.
10/18: Other Messengers
*Snyder, S.H., Ferris, C.D. (2000). Novel neurotransmitters and their neuropsychiatric relevance. Am. J. Psychiatry, 157:1738-1751.
See also: Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 10, pp. 210-211, Ch. 17, Ch. 49
10/20: EXAM TWO
PART THREE: Synaptic Neurochemistry: Postsynaptic Mechanisms
10/25: Receptors: Overview and Recognition Site Identification
*McGonigle, P., Molinoff, P.B. Receptors and signal transduction: Classification and quantification. In Siegel, et al., Fifth Edition, Ch. 10, pp. 209-230.
*Cooper, et al., Ch. 4
10/27: Receptor-Effector Mechanisms: Ligand-gated Ion Channels
Review receptor coverage in Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 11, 15, 16
11/01: Receptor-Effector Mechanisms: Second Messenger Systems
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 20, 21, 22
Review receptor coverage in chapters on various transmitters
11/03: Importance of Phosphorylation to Brain Function
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 24, 25
11/08: Roles for Neurotransmitters and their Receptors BS (before synapses)
*Weiss, E.R., Maness, P., Lauder, J.M. (1998). Why do neurotransmitters act like growth factors? Perspectives on Develop. Neurobiol., 5:323-336.
*Dreyfus, C.F. (1998). Neurotransmitters and neurotrophins collaborate to influence brain development. Perspectives on Develop. Neurobiol., 5:389-400.
*Barker, J.L., et al. (1998). GABAergic cells and signals in CNS development. Perspectives on Develop. Neurobiol., 5:305-322.
11/10: EXAM THREE
PART FOUR: Functional Neurochemistry
11/15: Neurochemical Aspects of Neuroplasticity
Charney et al., Ch. 5
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 50
*Felician, O., Sandson, T.A. (1999). The neurobiology and pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer's Disease. J. Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 11:19-31.
*Lee, J.L.C., Everitt, B.J., Thomas, K.L. (2004). Independent cellular processes for hippocampal memory consolidation and reconsolidation. Science, 304:839-843.
11/17: Neural Mechanisms of Adaptive Responses: Coping with Challenge
Review, Bear, et al., Neuroscience, Ch. 15, pp. 496-512 (text for NSC 201)
*Charney, D.S. (2004). Psychobiological mechanisms of resilience and vulnerability: Implications for successful adaptation to extreme stress. Am. J. Psychiatry, 161:195-216.
11/22: Neurochemical Aspects of Major Psychiatric Disorders I: Schizophrenia, a disorder of altered connectivity?
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 51
*Sawa, A., Pletnikkov, M.V., Kamiya, A. (2004). Neuron-glia interactions clarify genetic-environmental links in mental illness. Trends in Neuroscience, 27:294-297.
*Sawa, A., Snyder, S.H. (2002). Schizophrenia: Diverse approaches to a complex disease. Science, 296:692-695.
*McGrath, J.J., Feron, F.P., Burne, T., Mackay-Sim., A., Eyles, D.W. (2003). The neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia: a review of recent developments. Ann. Med. 35: 86-93.
11/24: Thanksgiving Recess
11/29: Neurochemical Aspects of Major Psychiatric Disorders II: Mood disorders, disorders of second messenger dysfunction? Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 52
*Duman, R.S. (2002). Synaptic plasticity and mood disorders. Mol. Psychiatry, 7:S29-S34.
*Coyle, J.T., Duman, R.S. (2003). Finding the intracellular signaling pathways affected by mood disorder treatments. Neuron 38:157-160.
12/01: Neurochemical Aspects of Substance Abuse Disorders
*Charney, et al. Ch. 41
Siegel, et al., Sixth Edition, Ch. 53
*Wise, R.A. (2002). Brain reward circuitry: Insights from unsensed incentives. Neuron, 36:229-240.
12/06: Sex differences in brain neurobiology
*Carrer, H.F., Cambiasso, M.J. (2002). Sexual differentiation of brain: Genes, estrogen, and neurotrophic factors. Cellular and Mol. Neurobiol., 22:479-500.
*McCarthy, M., Auger, A.P., Perrot-Sinal, T.S. (2002). Getting excited about GABA and sex differences in the brain. Trends in Neuroscience, 25: 307-312
12/08: Neurochemistry of motor function and dysfunction
*Pollack, A., (2001). Anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology of the basal ganglia. Neurologic Clinics, 19:523-534.
*Siderowf, A., Stern, M. (2003). Update on Parkinson's Disease. Ann. Intern. Med. 138:651-658.
Final Exam Handed Out
12/19: Final Take-home exam due by 4:00 PM

Workshops

Problem-based workshops will be held two times for each of the first three units and once for the final unit. To be most effective, workshops held on Tuesdays work best (since 2 of 3 in-class exams are on Thursday). The time that best works for most students will be established the first day of class. Workshops will be held on the following dates:

Workshop 1: Sept. 13
Workshop 2: Sept. 20
Workshop 3: Oct. 11
Workshop 4: Oct. 18
Workshop 5: Nov. 1
Workshop 6: Nov. 8
Workshop 7: Dec. 6

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