Catalog of knowledge for the oral examination

  1. Types of nervous cells
  2. Types of glial cells
  3. Neuronal cytoskeleton
  4. Fast and slow axonal transport
  5. Potassium, sodium and calcium ion channels
  6. Resting membrane potential
  7. Passive electrical properties of the neuron
  8. Action potential
  9. Neuromuscular synapse and its disorders
  10. Excitatory synapses
  11. Inhibitory synapses
  12. Temporal and spatial synaptic integration
  13. Ionotropic receptors
  14. Metabotropic receptors
  15. Transmitter synthesis and synaptic vesicles
  16. Transmitter release and uptake
  17. Acetylcholine
  18. Biogenic amine transmitters
  19. Amino acid transmitters
  20. Neuroactive peptides
  21. Anatomical organization of the spinal cord
  22. Anatomical organization of the medulla
  23. Anatomical organization of the midbrain
  24. Anatomical organization of the cerebellum
  25. Anatomical organization of the diencephalon
  26. Anatomical organization of the cerebral hemispheres
  27. Laminar organization of the cerebral cortex
  28. Columnar organization of the cerebral cortex
  29. Localization of cognitive functions within the cerebral cortex
  30. Functional imaging of cognitive functions
  31. Mechanoceptors, proprioceptors and thermal receptors
  32. Nociceptors and hyperalgesia
  33. Dorsal column – medial lemniscal system
  34. Anterolateral spinothalamic system
  35. Gate-control theory, opioid peptides and the endogenous pain control 
  36. Thalamic syndrome and central pain
  37. Photoreceptors and phototransduction cascade
  38. Retinal visual processing
  39. Visual field and lesions in the retino-geniculo-cortical visual pathways
  40. Magnocellular and parvocellular central visual pathways
  41. Functional modules of the visual cortex
  42. Motion processing in the dorsal visual pathway
  43. Visual attention
  44. Object processing in the ventral visual pathway
  45. Stereoscopic perception
  46. Color vision
  47. Conscious awareness and the binding problem in the visual cortex
  48. Sensory transduction in the ear
  49. Functional anatomy of the cochlea
  50. Neural processing of auditory information
  51. Sensorineural hearing loss
  52. Encoding of odorant information
  53. Olfactory pathways
  54. Pheromones
  55. Taste cells and qualities
  56. Organization of the motor system
  57. The motor unit
  58. Neurogenic diseases of the motor unit
  59. Myopathic diseases of the motor unit
  60. Diseases of the peripheral nerves
  61. The stretch reflex
  62. Alterations in reflex responses and muscle tone
  63. Locomotion patterns within the spinal cord
  64. Voluntary movements
  65. Gaze control
  66. Anatomical organization of the vestibular apparatus
  67. Vestibular reflexes and central vestibular pathways
  68. Posture control
  69. Vestibullocerebelar circuits and disorders
  70. Spinocerebellar circuits and disorders
  71. Cerebrocerebellar circuits and disorders
  72. Direct and indirect pathways in the basal ganglia
  73. Movement disorders (Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease)
  74. Roles of basal ganglia in the cognition and learning
  75. Brain stem reticular formation and cranial nerves
  76. Brain stem modulation of sensation, movement and consciousness
  77. Classification of the seizures and the epilepsies
  78. Disorders of sleep and wakefulness
  79. Hypothalamic control of the endocrine system
  80. The roles of amygdaloid complex in emotional states and feelings
  81. Depression, mania and anxiety disorders
  82. Addictive states and drug abuse
  83. Induction and patterning of the nervous system
  84. Generation and survival of nerve cells
  85. Guidance of axons to their targets
  86. Formation and regeneration of synapses
  87. Sensory experience and fine tuning of synaptic connections
  88. Single genes that have profound effects on behavior
  89. Sexual differentiation of the nervous system
  90. Hormone-induced modifications in the brain structure
  91. Aging of the brain and dementia
  92. Alzheimer’s disease
  93. Language development and organization of the brain areas related to language
  94. Types of aphasias and other language-related disorders  
  95. Schizophrenia
  96. Explicit and implicit memory
  97. Habituation, sensitisation and conditioning
  98. Long-term potentiation and long-term depression 
  99. Blood-brain barrier, brain edema and hydrocephalus
  100. Brain circulation and stroke
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Plan of the course and course schedule

The Neurobiology of Behavior

 

1. The Brain and Behavior (GŠ)

 

Mon 19 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

2. Nerve Cells and Behavior (MJ)

 

Mon 19 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

3. Genes and Behavior (ŽK)

 

Mon 19 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

Cell and Molecular Biology of the Neuron

 

4. The Cytology of Neurons (MB)

 

Tue 20 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

5. Synthesis and Trafficking of Neuronal Protein (ŽK)

 

Tue 20 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

6. Ion Channels (VC)

 

Tue 20 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

7. Membrane Potential (MR)

 

Wed 21 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

8. Local signaling: Passive Electrical Properties of the Neuron (MR)

 

Wed 21 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

9. Propagated Signaling: The Action Potential (MR)

 

Wed 21 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

Elementary Interactions between Neurons: Synaptic Transmission

 

10. Overview of Synaptic Transmission (ZP)

 

Thu 22 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

11. Signaling at the Nerve-Muscle Synapse: Directly Gated Transmission (HB)

 

Thu 22 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

12. Synaptic Integration (GŠ)

 

Thu 22 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

13. Modulation of Synaptic Transmission: Second Messengers (HB)

 

Fri 23 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

14. Transmitter Release (GŠ)

 

Fri 23 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

15. Neurotransmitters (ŽK)

 

Fri 23 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

16. Diseases of Chemical Transmission at the Nerve-Muscle Synapse: Myasthenia Gravis (VC)

 

Mon 26 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

Neural Basis of Cognition

 

17. The Anatomical Organization of the Central Nervous System (ŽK)

 

Mon 26 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

18. The Functional Organization of Perception and Movement (GŠ)

 

Mon 26 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

19. Integration of Sensory and Motor Function: The Association Areas of the Cerebral Cortex and the Cognitive Capabilities of the Brain (GŠ)

 

Tue 27 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

20. From Nerve Cells to Cognition: The Internal Cellular Representations Required for Perception and Action (ZP)

 

Tue 27 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

Perception

 

21. Coding of Sensory Information (ZP)

 

Wed 28 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

22. The Bodily Senses (GS)

 

Wed 28 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

23. Touch (VLŠ)

 

Thu 29 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

24. The Perception of Pain (GŠ)

 

Thu 29 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

25. Constructing the Visual Image (ZP)

 

Thu 29 May

13.00 – 14.45 h

26. Visual Processing by the Retina (ZP)

 

Fri 30 May

9.00 – 10.45 h

27. Central Visual Pathways (GŠ)

 

Fri 30 May

11.00 – 12.45 h

28. Perception of Motion, Depth, and Form (ZP)

 

Mon 2 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

29. Color Vision (GŠ)

 

Mon 2 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

30. Hearing (VC)

 

Mon 2 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

31. Sensory Transduction in the Ear (VC)

 

Tue 3 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

32. Smell and Taste: The Chemical Senses (VC)

 

Tue 3 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

Movement

 

33. The Organization of Movement (HB)

 

Tue 3 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

34. The Motor Unit and Muscle Action (HB)

 

Wed 4 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

35. Diseases of the Motor Unit (GŠ)

 

Wed 4 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

36. Spinal Reflexes (VLŠ)

 

Wed 4 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

37. Locomotion (ZP)

 

Thu 5 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

38. Voluntary Movement (GŠ)

 

Thu 5 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

39. The Control of Gaze (MR)

 

Thu 5 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

40. The Vestibular System (VLŠ)

 

Fri 6 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

41. Posture (MR)

 

Fri 6 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

42. The Cerebellum (MV)

 

Fri 6 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

43. The Basal Ganglia (GI)

 

Mon 9 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

Arousal, Emotion, and Behavioral Homeostasis

 

44. Brain Stem, Reflexive Behavior, and the Cranial Nerves (ZP)

 

Mon 9 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

45. Brain Stem Modulation of Sensation, Movement, and Consciousness (GI)

 

Mon 9 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

46. Seizures and Epilepsy (GI)

 

Tue 10 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

47. Sleep and Dreaming (GI)

 

Tue 10 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

48. Disorders of Sleep and Wakefulness (GI)

 

Tue 10 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

49. The Autonomic Nervous System and the Hypothalamus (GŠ)

 

Wed 11 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

50. Emotional States and Feelings (ER)

 

Wed 11 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

51. Motivational and Addictive States (ER)

 

Wed 11 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

The Development of the Nervous System

 

52. The Induction and Patterning of the Nervous System (ŽK)

 

Thu 12 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

53. The Generation and Survival of Nerve Cells (ŽK)

 

Thu 12 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

54. The Guidance of Axons to Their Targets (NJM)

 

Thu 12 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

55. The Formation and Regeneration of Synapses (GŠ)

 

Fri 13 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

56. Sensory Experience and Fine-Tuning of Synaptic Connections (MV)

 

Fri 13 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

57. Sexual Differentiation of the Nervous System (ŽK)

 

Mon 16 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

58. Aging of the Brain and Alzheimer’s Disease (GŠ)

 

Mon 16 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

Language, Thought, Mood, and Learning, and Memory

 

59. Language and the Aphasias (GŠ)

 

Mon 16 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

60. Disorders of the Thought and Volition: Schizophrenia (ER)

 

Tue 17 June

9.00 – 10.45 h

61. Disorders of Mood: Depression, Mania, and Anxiety Disorders (ER)

 

Tue 17 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

62. Learning and Memory (GŠ)

 

Wed 18 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

63. Cellular Mechanisms of Learning and the Biological Basis of Individuality (MR)

 

Wed 18 June

13.00 – 14.45 h

64. Ventricular Organization of Cerebrospinal Fluid: Circulation of the Brain and Blood-Brain Barrier, Brain Edema, and Hydrocephalus (MK)

 

Thu 19 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

65. Consiousness and the Neurobiology of the Twenty-First Century (GŠ)

 

Fri 20 June

11.00 – 12.45 h

 

All lectures, seminars and practicals will take place in Croatian Institute for Brain Research building (Šalata 12) – www.hiim.hr .

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Fundamentals of Neuroscience

Plan of the Course

COURSE AIMS: 

This course introduces students to all aspects of the nervous system structure and function, in health and in disease. It includes the anatomy, physiology, chemistry, pharmacology, and pathology of nerve cells, as well as the behavioural and psychological features that depend on the function of the nervous system and the clinical disciplines that deal with them, such as neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. Traditionally neuroscience is seen as a branch of biological sciences. However, recently there has been a convergence of interest from many allied disciplines, including medicine, psychology, physics, computer science, statistics and many others. The scope of neuroscience has now broadened to include any systematic scientific experimental and theoretical investigation of the central and peripheral nervous system of biological organisms. The methodologies employed by neuroscientists have been enormously expanded, from biochemical and genetic analysis of dynamics of individual nerve cells and their molecular constituents to imaging representations of perceptual, motor and cognitive tasks in the brain. Neuroscience is at the frontier of investigation of the brain and mind. The study of the brain is becoming the cornerstone in understanding how we perceive and interact with the external world and, in particular, how human experience and human biology influence each other. Neuroscience is the most rapidly growing field of science.

 

COURSE STRUCTURE

The course Fundamentals of Neuroscience will last for five weeks (19th May 2014 – 20th June 2014). It will consist of lectures (65 hrs), seminars/tutorials (approximately 45 hrs), and practicals (dissections, computer simulations, examination of microscopical preparations, EEG recordings and readings, etc. - approx. 20 hrs), totaling 130 hrs.

Lectures (L):  65 hours

Seminars (S):  45 hours

Practicals (P):  20 hours

Total:  130 hours

 

FACULTY

  1. Professor Hrvoje Banfić, MD, PhD
  2. Professor Miloš Judaš, MD, PhD
  3. Professor Marijan Klarica, MD, PhD
  4. Professor Srećko Gajović, MD, PhD
  5. Professor Zdravko Petanjek, MD, PhD
  6. Professor Goran Šimić, MD, PhD (Head, Dept. of Neuroscience, co-ordinator of the course)
  7. Professor Svjetlana Kalanj-Bognar, MD, PhD
  8. Associate Professor Mario Vukšić, MD, PhD
  9. Associate Professor Nataša Jovanov-Milošević, DVM, PhD
  10. Assistant Professor Vladiana Crljen, MD, PhD
  11. Assistant Professor Milan Radoš, MD, PhD
  12. Assistant Professor Vesna Lukinović-Škudar, MD, PhD
  13. Assistant Professor Željka Krsnik, BBSc, PhD
  14. Elizabeta Radonić, MD, BA, PhD
  15. Goran Ivkić, MD
  16. Goran Sedmak, MD, PhD
  17. Mirjana Babić, BBSc

 

EXAMINATIONS

The written exam consists of 50 multiple choice questions. There will be two summer examination terms (26th of June and 10th of July) and two examination terms in the fall (4th and 18th of September). Scoring system: 40-50 points = excellent (5), 34-39 = very good (4), 29-33 = good (3), 26-28 = 2 (satisfactory), less than 26 = 1 (fail).

The oral examination will consist of 5 randomly chosen questions from the list above, for example:

  1. Action potential
  2. Anatomical organization of the midbrain
  3. Anterolateral spinothalamic system
  4. Addictive states and drug abuse
  5. Alzheimer’s disease

 

LIST OF EXAMINERS

  1. Professor Hrvoje Banfić, MD, PhD
  2. Professor Miloš Judaš, MD, PhD
  3. Professor Zdravko Petanjek, MD, PhD
  4. Professor Goran Šimić, MD, PhD (Head, Dept. of Neuroscience, co-ordinator of the course)
  5. Professor Svjetlana Kalanj-Bognar, MD, PhD
  6. Associate Professor Mario Vukšić, MD, PhD
  7. Associate Professor Nataša Jovanov-Milošević, DVM, PhD
  8. Assistant Professor Vladiana Crljen, MD, PhD
  9. Assistant Professor Milan Radoš, MD, PhD
  10. Assistant Professor Vesna Lukinović-Škudar, MD, PhD
  11. Assistant Professor Željka Krsnik, BBSc, PhD

 

LITERATURE 

A. Obligatory

  1. Kandel ER et al. (eds.) Principles of Neural Science, fifth edition, 2013.

 

B.  Additional

  1. Purves D. et al. (eds.) Neuroscience, fifth edition. Sinauer Associates, 2012.
  2. Blumenfeld H. Neuroanatomy through Clinical Cases, Sinauer Associates, 2002.
  3. Squire LR et al. (eds.) Fundamental Neuroscience, second edition. Academic Press, 2003.
  4. Bear MF et al. Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain, third edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
  5. Niuwenhuys R et al. The Human Central Nervous System. A Synopsis and Atlas. Fourth edition, Springer, 2007

 

NOTE:  The use of online multimedia resources is also highly recommended.

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