Introduction to Neuroscience

NEVR2010 provides a thorough introduction to contemporary neuroscience. The course covers central themes and the corresponding disciplines that are relevant for neuroscience, including the neuron and neuronal networks, the organization and development of the central nervous system, systems in the central nervous system including the sensory and motor systems, as well as elements from cognitive and clinical neuroscience.

The course is strongly recommended as a basis for the international Master of Science in Neuroscience at NTNU, but the course may also be taken by students at the bachelor's level in a variety of disciplines including technology, electronics, computational science or biophysics (see also NEVR2030 for a condensed version). The course may also be of interest to students in the social sciences, arts and literature as well as psychology, who have an interest in the neuroscientific underpinning of for example, thoughts, speech capabilities or consciousness.

The course includes a short oral presentation on a predefined topic. Topics can be freely selected but have to be related to at least one of the lectures and/or reading material provided. The presentations allow to deepen knowledge in one of the lectured topics and trains presentation skills. The assignment is evaluated as passed/failed.

Knowledge

The candidate will be able to:

• demonstrate introductory level of knowledge of the research fields in neuroscience including its subareas; Molecular, Cellular, Systems Neuroscience, Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience.
• have introductory level of knowledge about relevant methodologies and techniques in neuroscience.
• have introductory level of insight of basic brain structure and function at the ionic and molecular level.
• demonstrate introductory level of knowledge in sensory and motor systems.
• have introductory level of knowledge about how molecular, biochemical, cellular and physiological aspects mutually contribute to neural systems, and can be affected in pathological conditions.

Skills

The candidate will be able to:

• understand general concepts in the field of neurosciences,
• relate their introductory neuroscience training to daily life concepts ( sleep, memory, senses, motor action) and few neurological conditions, such neurodegenerative diseases, dementia, epilepsy
• have basic knowledge of relevant methods neuroscience

General competencies

The candidate will develop:

• introductory competence on how to analyse and formulate relevant general issues in neuroscience.
• introductory competence on how brain circuits develop, assemble and function, and how this relates to daily life concepts and disease.
• introductory competence on how neural systems contribute to sensory experiences, thoughts, emotions, behavior. This includes structure and function of the neuron, synapse and synaptic transmission, transmitter, membrane potential, methods to assess brain activity, neuronal integration and modulation.

Lectures and assignment. The course will be held in English in view of the high number of exchange students taking the course. Regular final examination is given in the autumn semester only. Students with legitimate leave of absence at the final examination and students who receive the grade F may take a re-sit examination in the spring semester. If few candidates, the re-sit examination may be conducted as an oral examination.

Attendance is mandatory for all course participants to all presentations