HAP-30806 Integrated Neuroendocrinology

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

EZO-10306 Human and Animal Biology I; AP-20306 Human and Animal Biology, part 2; HAP-21806 Behavioural Endocrinology.

Contents:

During the course Integrated Neuroendocrinology different aspects of brain function in relation to behaviour will be discussed. The course is subdivided in 7 themes, namely Histology, Anatomy and Physiology of the Brain, Sleep, Emotion, Stress, Learning and Memory, Homeostasis and Digestive Behaviour, Psychopharmacology and Drug Abuse, and Neuronal Disorders. Although subdivided in different themes, it should become clear during the course that the same area in the brain can have completely different functions. Besides receiving signals through neuronal innervations the brain also receives many hormonal signals, which either can elicit an independent effect, or can become integrated in neuronal signals.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- interpret and analyse how neurons in the brain communicate with each other;
- integrate and apply the functioning of the physiological and neurological mechanisms which control sleep (in particular slow wave and REM sleep) and arousal;
- analyse the relation between the amygdala and ventromedial prefrontal cortex in emotional responses and to apply this knowledge to design experiments to investigate the neuronal basis of different emotional response patterns;
- integrate the neurological and humeral consequences of stress to the functioning of the neuroendocrine and immune system;
- integrate the effects of peripheral hunger and satiety signals to feeding circuits in the brain with specific emphasis on the hypothalamic neurons;
- apply the consequences of changes in the glutamate receptors NMDA and AMPA to the different types of learning;
- apply knowledge on the basic concepts of classical conditioning into the development and analysis of experimental situations related to classical conditioning;
- discriminate between neuromodulatory and information transmitting effects of neurotransmitters, and to be able to apply this knowledge by designing experiments that focus on these differences in relation to psychopharmacology and drug abuse;
- integrate the dopamine hypothesis and the presence of brain damage with the presence of positive, cognitive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia;
- describe the difference between a major depressive and bipolar affective disorder, and to apply this knowledge in understanding the neurological basis for these disorders;
- analyse how disturbances in normal neurological pathways can lead to neurological disorders and drug abuse.

Activities:

- apart from lectures (some invited lecturers) also tutorials and cases are part of the course;
- computer-aided practicals and practicals in neuro-anatomy, histology and neurophysiology are used to illustrate and exercise brain anatomy and electrophysiology.

Examination:

- written test with 10 to 15 open questions (80%);
- case study report (20%).
For the case study report a minimal mark of 5.0 is required. When these requirements are met, the score becomes indefinite.
When 55 or more points have been acquired for the exam plus case study, student has passed the course successfully.

Literature:

Apart from hand-outs.
Lecture notes and study manual.
Textbook: Physiology of Behavior by NR Carlson. 11th ed. 2013 is used.