Kurssiesite

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After taking the course, the student will understand the basic biological mechanisms and electrophysiological measurement techniques related to signal generation and propagation in nerve cells. The student will be able to apply these concepts to
1) build and constrain computational models of electrical activity in the nerve cells,
2) assess the possibilities and limitations of various electrophysiological measurement techniques, and
3) tell about the cellular level mechanisms of memory, learning and neural connections.

Credits: 5

Schedule: 06.09.2024 - 02.12.2024

Teacher in charge (valid for whole curriculum period):

Teacher in charge (applies in this implementation): Irina Ignatova

Contact information for the course (applies in this implementation):

CEFR level (valid for whole curriculum period):

Language of instruction and studies (applies in this implementation):

Teaching language: English. Languages of study attainment: English

CONTENT, ASSESSMENT AND WORKLOAD

Content

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Electrophysiological measurement techniques, transport and conductivity mechanisms of the excitable cell membranes, mechanisms of electrical signaling and learning phenomena.

• applies in this implementation

  ·       Bioelectricity and electrical circuits

  ·       Electrical process and properties of cell membranes

  ·       Membrane potential. Ion channels. Voltage-gated channels

  ·       Excitable cells. Action potential. Hodgkin-Huxley model

  ·       Receptors and synaptic transmission
  

  ·       Cable properties and information processing in dendrites

  ·       Electrophysiological instrumentation

  ·       Recording and analysis of electrophysiological signals

  ·       Clinical applications and channelopathies

Assessment Methods and Criteria

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  To be announced.

• applies in this implementation

  Grading is mainly based on the written final exam and calculation exercises. Points from questions during the lectures and simulations in NEURON will have a positive effect on the final grade.
  

  
  

Workload

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Lectures and exercise sessions

• applies in this implementation

  • Lecture: contact teaching 12 x 2h
  • Exercises: contact teaching 11 x 2h
  • Self-study: lecture materials, textbooks: 35 h
  • Self-study: exercises: 34 h
  • Exam and exam preparation: 20 h
  
  

DETAILS

Study Material

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  To be announced.

• applies in this implementation

  
  
  • Lecture slides
  • Johnston & Wu: Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology
  • From Molecules to Networks: An Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience; edited by Byrne, Heidelberger, Waxham; 3rd edition, 2014. Chapters 10-17, 21 (From Molecules to Network)
  • Weiss: Cellular Biophysics, vol. 2 -Electrical Properties
  • Bretschneider and de Weille: Introduction to Electrophysiological Methods and Instrumentation (Introduction to Electrophysiological Methods and Instrumentation)
    
  • Supplementary materials

Substitutes for Courses

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Substitutes for Courses

Prerequisites

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Prerequisites

FURTHER INFORMATION

Further Information

• valid for whole curriculum period:

  Teaching Language: English

  Teaching Period: 2024-2025 Autumn I - II
  2025-2026 No teaching

• applies in this implementation

  Own laptop with installed NEURON will be needed. Open-source NEURON simulator can be downloaded here: https://nrn.readthedocs.io/en/8.2.3/

  
  

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