Neuroscience I

BIOS/PHIL/PSCH 484
MWF 1:00-1:50
Lecture Center B

Fall 2019
3 credit hours

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION OFFICE HOURS

davew@uic.edu
Psychology
Dr. David Wirtshafter
2010 Behavioral Wednesday 2-3 pm BSB 2010
(course coordinator)
Sciences Building
312-413-2613
jer@uic.edu
Biological Sciences
Dr. Janet Richmond 4311 Science & Friday 3-4pm SEL 4311
Engineering Labs
312-413-2513
Dr. Thomas Park tpark@uic.edu Friday 3-4 pm SEL 4284

Seema Sheoran ssheor3@uic.edu

Monday 2-3 pm SEL 4269
(Teaching Assistant)

COURSE WEBPAGE: The UIC Blackboard website (blackboard.uic.edu) will

contain course material including lecture slides,
assignments, readings, and announcements. This site will be
updated regularly. Please check here for information
before e-mailing your instructors with general
questions.

PREREQUISITES: BIOS 286 or PSCH 262 are required prerequisites for this
course. It is also highly recommended by former students
(though not required) to take Cell Biology and Genetics
before taking this course.

SUGGESTED TEXT: Neuroscience, Purves et al., 5th Edition ISBN:978-0-07-

181001-2

This textbook is best used as a reference for figures and

clarification of concepts. Students should focus on lecture
notes. Material that is not discussed in class will not be
 tested unless specifically stated. See Blackboard for
additional posted materials

LECTURE CAPTURE: May be available, but instructors cannot account for

technical difficulties and it is not promised that it will be
available on every day. Students are welcome and
encouraged to use a recording device or cell phone to record
lectures. Attendance is expected at all lectures
regardless of lecture capture.

DISCLAIMER: The terms of this syllabus are subject to change by

announcements in class, on Blackboard, or by email.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Neuroscience I is an introduction to neuroscience as an integrative discipline.
Students will develop a foundation of knowledge in a range of neuroscience topics,
including an understanding of current methods and recent findings in the field.
Topics covered include cellular neurobiology, action potential mechanisms,
synaptic transmission, neuropharmacology, neural development, and
neuroanatomy of vertebrates. We also aim to foster intellectual leadership, critical
thinking skills, and communication skills in order to prepare our students for careers
in science and engineering.

ATTENDANCE
Attendance is expected at all scheduled lectures and exams. Religious obligations,
official University activities, or extreme cases of illness may qualify a student for a
conflict exam. Except in the case of emergency, students must notify the professors
and/or TA no later than 1 week prior to the scheduled exam and provide
appropriate documentation of the conflict. Makeup exams must be taken within 1
week of the scheduled exam at a date and time approved by the instructors..

Please see UIC’s official policy for rescheduling final exams at

https://registrar.uic.edu/current_students/calendars/final_exam_schedule.html

Instructors reserve the right to accept or reject late work.

Unless otherwise stated, exam material will be covered during lecture, so attendance is
essential in this course. We highly recommend that students bring a printed copy of the
lecture notes that can be annotated during class. The textbook is useful as a reference
for topics discussed in lecture. It is also helpful to read the relevant sections of the text
before class.

EXAMS
There will be four exams in this course: three in-class, 50 minute midterm exams and
one, 2 hour final exam. Exams have historically consisted of 40-60 multiple choice,
short answer, and true/false questions, but the instructors reserve the right to change
this format. Each exam will be based on material discussed in class and include
only material presented before that exam. Plagiarism and cheating are not tolerated
and may result in dismissal from the university.

PARTICIPATION/ASSIGNMENTS
A variety of additional activities will be assigned in class to help students master the
material.  These will include items such as homework assignments (worth a maximum
of 2 points each)  and unannounced in-class quizzes (worth 1 or 2 point apiece), and
attendance at the annual Comer Undergraduate Neuroscience Lecture.  Make-ups are
entirely at the disecrssion of the instructors and will not be considered unless an
acceptable reason for the student's absence has been presented to the TA or instructor
ahead of time. Late homework assignments will not be accepted.  A total of 12 points
can be earned from these assignments amounting to 6.25% of the total available points.

Tentative point totals

Midterm 1 40 Pts.
Midterm 2 40 Pts
Midterm 3 40 Pts
Assignments 12 Pts
Final exam 60 Pts
Total Possible Points 192 Pts,

Final grades are scaled in this class. The scale will not be determined until after all
exams and assignments have been graded and will depend on class performance. The
instructors aim to award ~ 1/3 of the class A's, 1/3 B's, and 1/3 C’s, with hopefully very
few D's and F's. After final exams have been scored, the instructors will sort total points
for each student in the class from highest to lowest and look for natural cutoffs for the
A/B/C/D/F breakdown. Cutoffs will never be raised above the standard A>90%, B=80-
89%, =70-79%, D=60-69%, F<60% scale but are frequently lower. Each student's final
grade is therefore dependent on performance relative to the whole class that semester.
Final grades are final and the cut-offs decided upon are not subject to further discussion

Students need to properly register for a class in order to earn academic credit.
Retroactive enrollments will not be processed.

Students are able to drop a course without penalty through Friday of the ninth
week of the semester. Late drops are subject to the College of LAS rules and
students should consult with the College advisor (996-3366).
 COURSE OUTLINE

Week Textbook
Topics
of/Instructor Chapters
Week 1 Overview:
Aug 26-30  Neuroscience as an Integrative Discipline
Chapter 1
Dr. Wirtshafter  Introduction to Neural Systems
 Cellular Neurobiology
Sept 2 Labor Day
Electrical signals in nerve cells
Week 2
- Resting potential
Sep 4-6
- Electrochemical gradients Chapter 2
Dr Wirtshafter
- Nernst potential
- Passive and active electrical signals
Voltage-dependent membrane permeability
Week 3
- The Voltage-Clamp Device
Sep 9-13
- Squid Giant Axon Chapter 3
Dr. Richmond
- Ionic Currents across Voltage-clamped
Membranes
Action Potential kinetics and ion channels
Week 4 - Kinetics of Change in Ionic Conductance
Sep 16-20 - Initation of Action Potentials Propagation
Chapter 4
Dr. Wirtshafter - The Gated Ion Channel Model
- Molecular Properties of the Voltage-sensitive
Na/K Channels
Week 5
FIRST HOUR EXAM
Mon Sep 23

Electrical vs Chemical Synapses

- Synaptic Transmission-presynaptic release
Sep 25-27
- The quantal nature and calcium-dependence
Dr. Richmond Chapter 5
of release
- Molecular mechanisms of vesicle exocytosis
- Molecular mechanisms of vesicle endocytosis
Week 6
Sep 30- Oct 4 Postsynaptic receptors/pharmacology
Dr. Park - Ionotropic receptors, ion permeability Chapter 6
- Cholinergic transmission

Week 7 Neuropharmacology
Oct 7–11 - GABAergic/glycinergic transmission
Dr. Park - Biogenic amines and nonclassical
Chapter 6
neurotransmitters
- Peptides and unconventional
neurotransmitters
Week 8 - Chris Comer Undergraduate Neuroscience
Wed Oct 16 Seminar (attendance required)
Molecular signaling within neurons
- Signaling strategies – G-protein couple
Oct 14 & 18 receptors
Dr. Richmond - Second messenger cascades – Calcium Chapter 7
signaling
- Cyclic nucleotides and phospholipid
derivatives
Week 9
SECOND HOUR EXAM
Mon OCT 21

Synaptic Plasticity
Oct 23-25 - Temporal consequences of G-protein
Dr. Park activation Chapter 8
- Glutamatergic transmission
- Signaling cascades in LTP
Week 10 Early Brain Development
Oct 28-Nov 1 - Birth, Migration, and Differentiation of Chapter
Dr. Wirtshafter Neurons and Glia 22
- Construction of Neural Circuits
Neuroanatomy I
Week 11
- Neurohistology
Nov 4-8
- Basic morphology of the Vertebrate Nervous Appendix
Dr. Wirtshafter
System and its Coverings
- Spinal Cord and Peripheral Nervous System
Week 12
Neuroanatomy II
Nov 11-13
- Brain Stem and Cranial Nerves Appendix
Dr. Wirtshafter
- Cerebellum and Basal Ganglia
FRI NOV 15 THIRD HOUR EXAM
Week 13
Neuroanatomy III
Nov 18-22
- Cerebral Cortex and Thalamus Appendix
Dr. Wirtshafter

Week 14 Neuroanatomy III (cont)

Nov 25-27 - Limbic System and Hypothalamus
Appendix
Dr. Wirtshafter - Invertebrate Nervous Systems
- Evolution of Nervous Systems
Nov 28-29 Thanksgiving Holiday
Week 15
Dec 2-6
Assorted Topics
TBA.
Dec. 9 COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM
 UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Disability Accommodation
The University of Illinois at Chicago is committed to maintaining a barrier-free
environment so that students with disabilities can fully access programs, courses,
services, and activities at UIC. Students with disabilities who require accommodations
for access to and/or participation in this course are welcome, but must be registered
with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). You may contact DRC at 312-413-2183 (v)
or 312-413-0123 (TTY) and consult the following:
http://www.uic.edu/depts/oaa/disability_resources/faq/accommodations.html

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http://dos.uic.edu/docs/Student Disciplinary Policy.pdf

Religious Holidays and Observance

Students who wish to observe their religious holidays shall notify the faculty member by
the tenth day of the semester of the date when they will be absent unless the religious
holiday is observed on or before the tenth day of the semester. In such cases, the
student shall notify the faculty member at least five days in advance of the date when
he/she will be absent. The faculty member shall make every reasonable effort to honor
the request, not penalize the student for missing the class, and if an examination or
project is due during the absence, give the student an exam or assignment equivalent to
the one completed by those students in attendance. If the student feels aggrieved,
he/she may request remedy through the campus grievance procedure.
http://oae.uic.edu/docs/ReligiousHolidaysFY20152017.pdf

Grievance Procedures
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opportunity, and human dignity involving students and employees. Freedom from
discrimination is a foundation for all decision making at UIC. Students are encouraged
to study the University's “Nondiscrimination Statement”. Students are also urged to read
the document “Public Formal Grievance Procedures”. Information on these policies and
procedures is available on the University web pages of the Office of Access and Equity:
http://www.uic.edu/depts/oae