Università Roma Tre

Neuroscience: Brain and Behavior. Nervous cells and behavior. This first part of the course is a short Introduction to the study of Neuroscience and has as a main topic the relationship among brain, nervous cells and behavior.

Elementary interaction among neurons: synaptic transmission, molecular and evolutive aspects. Synaptic transmission direct and mediated by second messengers. Excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Chemical messengers: ‘classic’ neurotransmitters and neuropeptides: general features and mechanisms of action. Classification. Endorphins and endocannabinoids. Neuropeptides and evolution. Neurotrophins. Examples of erroneous chemical transmission: Myastenia gravis.

Functional anatomy of the Central Nervous System. Anatomy of the Central Nervous System. Neuronal basis of perception and movement. Imaging techniques for brain activity.

Brain sensory systems: sensation and perception, physical, anatomical, molecular aspects. Decoding sensory information. Every sensory modality will be studied for anatomical aspects, including main nervous pathways in the transmission to central brain and transduction pathway. General characters of sensory receptors; relation stimulus –signal. Adaptation. Control of receptor sensitivity. Mechanoreceptors: somatic, thermic, pain sensitivity. Vestibolar and acoustic receptors. Chemoreceptors: taste and olphactory receptors. Photoreceptors.

Complex funtions: Learning and memory. Long term potentiation. Mirror neurons. Sleep and sleep disorders. Brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease.

- Principles of Neuroscience. Eric Kandel, James H Schwartz, Thomas M. Jessell Eds.4th edition McGraw Hill Companies, New York, USA

- Fundamental Neuroscience 4th Edition, Elsevier Inc., Squire L.R., Berg D, Bloom FE, Du Lac S, Ghosh A, Spitzer NC.

- Neuroscience , D. Purves, 5th Edition, Sinauer Associates Inc.

- Berne & Levy Physiology, By Bruce M. Koeppen, MD, PhD and Bruce A. Stanton, PhD, 6th updated Edition.

- Human physiology-An integrated approach, Dee Unglaub Silverthorn, 6th edition, Pearson

The reading of articles from the best scientific journals will be also required for some selected topics

Neuroscience: Brain and Behavior. Nervous cells and behavior. This first part of the course is a short Introduction to the study of Neuroscience and has as a main topic the relationship among brain, nervous cells and behavior.

Elementary interaction among neurons: synaptic transmission, molecular and evolutive aspects. Synaptic transmission direct and mediated by second messengers. Excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Chemical messengers: ‘classic’ neurotransmitters and neuropeptides: general features and mechanisms of action. Classification. Endorphins and endocannabinoids. Neuropeptides and evolution. Neurotrophins. Examples of erroneous chemical transmission: Myastenia gravis.

Functional anatomy of the Central Nervous System. Anatomy of the Central Nervous System. Neuronal basis of perception and movement. Imaging techniques for brain activity.

Brain sensory systems: sensation and perception, physical, anatomical, molecular aspects. Decoding sensory information. Every sensory modality will be studied for anatomical aspects, including main nervous pathways in the transmission to central brain and transduction pathway. General characters of sensory receptors; relation stimulus –signal. Adaptation. Control of receptor sensitivity. Mechanoreceptors: somatic, thermic, pain sensitivity. Vestibolar and acoustic receptors. Chemoreceptors: taste and olphactory receptors. Photoreceptors.

Complex funtions: Learning and memory. Long term potentiation. Mirror neurons. Sleep and sleep disorders. Brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimer’s disease.

- Principles of Neuroscience. Eric Kandel, James H Schwartz, Thomas M. Jessell Eds.4th edition McGraw Hill Companies, New York, USA

- Fundamental Neuroscience 4th Edition, Elsevier Inc., Squire L.R., Berg D, Bloom FE, Du Lac S, Ghosh A, Spitzer NC.

- Neuroscience , D. Purves, 5th Edition, Sinauer Associates Inc.

- Berne & Levy Physiology, By Bruce M. Koeppen, MD, PhD and Bruce A. Stanton, PhD, 6th updated Edition.

- Human physiology-An integrated approach, Dee Unglaub Silverthorn, 6th edition, Pearson

The reading of articles from the best scientific journals will be also required for some selected topics