Neuroscience/BCS 243 - Fall, 1997

Neurochemical Foundations of Behavior

Tuesday, Thursday, 9:40-10:55

Professor Carol Kellogg        Office Hours: After class or by appointment
Office: Meliora 186, x5-4801   e-mail:  kellogg@bcs.rochester.edu
Lab: Meliora 125, x5-8457      Web:http://www.bcs.rochester.edu/neuro/
Course Intent:

This course is intended to introduce you to the field of neurochemistry. There are four cornerstones to modern neurochemistry: chemical composition and architecture, metabolic neurochemistry, chemistry of neural transmission, and methodologic development. 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.

Text:

Basic Neurochemistry, Fifth Edition. Siegel, G.J., Agranoff, B., Albers, W., and Molinoff, P. (eds.), Raven Press, 1994.

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. 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

* On Reserve, Carlson Library

September 2: Neurochemistry: An Overview.

Introduction to Chemically Mediated Synaptic Transmission
Siegel, et al., Ch. 9

PART ONE: Synaptic Chemistry: Presynaptic Mechanisms

September 4: Acetylcholine Siegel et al., Ch. 11 September 9: Catecholamines Siegel et al., Ch. 12

September 11: Serotonin

Siegel et al., Ch. 13

September 16: Amino Acids

Siegel et al., Chs. 17 and 18

September 18: Peptides, Transmitter Co-existence

Siegel et al., Chs. 15 and 16
*Lundberg, J.M. and Hokfelt, T. (1983). Coexistence of peptides and Classical neurotransmitters. Trends in Neuroscience, 6: 325-333.

September 23: Other Chemical Messengers

Siegel et al., Ch. 19
*Lancaster, J.R. (1992). Nitric oxide in cells. American Scientist, 80: 248-259.

September 25: EXAM ONE

PART TWO: Synaptic Neurochemistry: Postsynaptic Mechanisms

September 30: Receptors: Recognition Site

Siegel et al., Ch. 10

October 2: Receptor-Effector Mechanisms: Ligand-gated Ion Channels

Siegel, Ch. 11, pp. 248-254 (Nicotinic Receptor) Ch. 17, pp. 374-381 (Glutamate Receptors)
Ch. 18, pp. 391-398 (GABA and Glycine Receptors)

October 7: Receptor-Effector Mechanisms: Second Messenger Systems

Siegel et al, Chs. 20 and 21 Ch. 12, pp. 270-289 (Catecholamine Receptors)
Ch. 13, pp. 295-306 (Serotonin Receptors)
Ch. 11, pp. 254-259 (Muscarinic Receptors)
Ch. 19, pp. 410-413 (Adenosine Receptors)

October 9: Importance of Phosphorylation to Brain Function

Siegel, Ch. 22

October 14: Importance of Calcium to Brain Function

*Kennedy, M.B. (1989). Regulation of neuronal function by calcium. Trends in Neuroscience, 12: 417-420.
Ghosh, A. and Greenberg, M.E. (1995). Calcium signaling in neurons: Molecular mechanisms and cellular consequences. Science, 268:239-247.

October 16: EXAM TWO

PART THREE: Cellular and Molecular Neurochemistry

October 21: Maintenance of a Proper Chemical Environment

Siegel et al., Ch. 32

October 23: Carbohydrates and Energy Metabolism

Siegel et al., Chs. 31and 42
*Iadecola, C. (1997). Bright and dark sides of nitric oxide in ischemic brain injury. Trends in Neuroscience, 20: 132-139.

October 28, 30 No Class: Neuroscience Meetings

November 4: Amino Acids, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids

Siegel et al., Chs. 24 and 25

November 6: Brain Lipids: Role in Membrane Structure and Neural Degeneration

Siegel et al., Chs.2 and 5
*Halliwell, B. and Gutteridge, J.M.C., (1985). Oxygen radicals and the nervous system. Trends in Neuroscience, 8: 22-26.

November 11: Brain and Hormone Relationships

Siegel et al., Ch. 49
*Schumacher, M. (1990). Membrane Effects of Steroid Hormones. Trends in Neuroscience, 13: 359-362.

November 13: EXAM THREE

PART FOUR: Functional Neurochemistry

November 18: Neurochemical Considerations in Stress Responses

*Fisher, L. (1989). Corticotropin-releasing factor: Endocrine and autonomic integration of responses to stress. Trends in Pharmacological Science, 10: 189-193.
*Sapolsky, R.M. (1992). Neuroendocrinology of the stress response. In: Behavioral Endocrionology, M.B. Becker, S.M. Breedlove, and Crew, D. (Eds.), MIT Press, Cambridge, pp.287-324.
*Havoundjian, H., Trullas, R., Paul, S., and Skolnick, P. (1987). A physiologic role of the benzodiazepine/GABA receptor-chloride ionophore complex in stress. Adv. Experimental Medicine and Biology, 221: 459-475.

November 20: Learning and Memory: Cellular Mechanisms

Siegel et al., Ch. 50
*Brown, T.H., Chapman, P.F., Kairiss, E.W., and Keenan, C.L. (1988). Long-term synaptic potentiation. Science, 242, 724-727.
*Barnes, C.A. (1990). Synaptic enhancement in hippocampal circuits: Behavioral evidence for a role in spatial learning. In: The Biology of Memory, L.R. Squire and E. Lindenlaub, Eds., F.K. Schattauer Verlag, Stuttgart, pp.275-291.
*Glanzman, D.L. (1995). The cellular basis of classical conditioning in Aplysia Californica - it's less simple than you think. Trends in Neuroscience, 18: 30-36.
*Holscher, C. (1997). Nitric oxide, the enigmatic neuronal messenger: Its role in synaptic plasticity. Trends in Neuroscience, 20: 298-303.

November 25: Gender Specific Behavior and Neurochemistry

*Breedlove, S.M. (1992). Sexual differentiation of the brain and behavior. In: Behavioral Endocrinology, Becker, J.B., Breedlove, S.M., and Crews, D. (Eds.), MIT Press, Cambridge, pp. 39-68.
*Swaab, D.F. and Hofman, M.A. (1995). Sexual differentiation of the human hypothalamus in relation to gender and sexual orientation. Trends in Neuroscience, 18: 264-270.
*Pilgrim Ch. and Reisert, I. (1992). Differences between male and female brains-Developmental mechanisms and implications. Horm. Metab. Res., 24: 353-359.

November 27: Thanksgiving Break

December 2: Neurochemistry of motor functions

Siegel et al., Ch. 44
Robertson, H.A. (1992). Dopamine receptor interactions: Implications for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Trends in Neuroscience, 15:201-206.

December 4: Neurochemical Basis of Mental Illness

Siegel et al., Chs. 47,48
*Brier, A. and Paul, S.M. (1990). The GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor: Implications for the molecular basis of anxiety. J. Psychiat. Res., 24: 91-104.
*Chrousos, G.P. and Gold, P.W. (1992). The concepts of stress and stress system disorders. J. Amer. Med. Assoc., 267: 1244-1252.
*Weinberger, D.R. (1987). Implications of normal brain development for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Arch. Gen Psychiat., 44: 660-669.
*Goldstein, M. and Deutch, A.Y. (1992). Dopaminergic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. FASEB J., 6: 2414-2421.
*Jacobs, B.L. (1994). Serotonin, motor activity and depression-related disorders. American Scientist, 82:456-463.

December 9: Neural Targets of Abused Drugs

Siegel et al., Ch 41
*Koob, G.F. (1992). Drugs of abuse: Anatomy, pharmacology and function of reward pathways. Trends in Pharmacol. Science., 13: 170-176.
*Blum, K., Cull, J.G., Braverman, E.R., Comings, D.E. (1996). Reward deficiency syndrome. American Scientist, 84:132-145.
*Nestler, E. (1995). Molecular basis of addictive states. The Neuroscientist, 1:212-220.

December 11: Review; Hand Out Final Exam

December 19: Final Take-Home Exam Due by 4:00 pm

Last modified: 10/1/97