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2020/2021

Molecular Neurobiology and Physiology

Code: 42890 ECTS Credits: 9
Degree Type Year Semester
4313792 Neurosciences OB 0 1
4313794 Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine OT 0 1
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Alfredo Jesús Miñano Molina
Email:
Alfredo.Minano@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
spanish (spa)

Teachers

Antonio Armario García
Victoria Clos Guillén
Marcel Jiménez Farrerons
Xavier Navarro Acebes
José Rodríguez Álvarez
Jordi Ortiz de Pablo
Carlos Alberto Saura Antolin
Guillermo García Alias
Roser Masgrau Juanola
Francesc Jiménez Altayo
Ruben Lopez Vales

Prerequisites

Good level of English. Part of the classes and some of the materials will be given in English, so good level of this language is mandatory

In case any of the students does not speak Catalan, classes will be given in Spanish and/or English, so knowledge of Spanish is also mandatory.

Students with a degree in the biosciences field or similar (Biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, microbiology, genetics, biomedical sciences, medicine, veterinary, pharmacy, psychology...)

Knowledge about neuroanatomy is highly recommended. Background in biochemistry and physiology is expected.

Objectives and Contextualisation

The main goal of the module is to learn the chemical, cellular and functional characteristics of the central and peripheral nervous system in order to reach a basic knowledge of Neurosciences, to be able to understand any field in neurosciences and the bases of the pathologies of the nervous system.

Competences

    Neurosciences
  • Analyze the performance of the motor, sensory and autonomic systems and the brain integrative functions, and know the experimental techniques used to study.
  • Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously
  • Explain how the intermediary metabolism of the nervous system, chemical processes and pharmacology transmission based receptors, transporters and enzymes of the metabolism of neurotransmitters or their transduction mechanisms work.
  • Explain the basis of treatments for pathologies of the nervous system.
  • Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
    Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine
  • Analyse and correctly interpret the molecular mechanisms operating in living beings and identify their applications.
  • Analyse and explain normal morphology and physiological processes and their alterations at the molecular level using the scientific method.
  • Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  • Develop critical reasoning within the subject area and in relation to the scientific or business context.
  • Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
  • Use and manage bibliography and IT resources related to biochemistry, molecular biology or biomedicine.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously
  2. Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously.
  3. Describe the processes of synthesis and inactivation of neurotransmitters.
  4. Describe the working and the regulation of motor circuits, circuits of the autonomous nervous system and sensorial circuits.
  5. Develop critical reasoning within the subject area and in relation to the scientific or business context.
  6. Distinguish the mechanisms of action of drugs that modulate the action of neurotransmitters.
  7. Evaluate and implement improvements or changes, either in methods or parameters, in the clinical laboratory.
  8. Explain electric phenomena in neurons, in molecular and ionic terms.
  9. Explain the mechanism of action of drugs that are useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative processes.
  10. Identify and describe the working of brain integration functions.
  11. Recognise and explain the characteristics and special requirements of biochemical and genetic analyses in clinical laboratories
  12. Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
  13. Use and manage bibliography and IT resources related to biochemistry, molecular biology or biomedicine.

Content

PROGRAM OF THE SUBJECT *

Molecular and Physiological Neurobiology (Module 2)

¨  Generalities on neurotransmission and receptor pharmacology (Dr Ortiz). 2h

General characteristics of synapse and chemical neurotransmission

General concepts on receptor pharmacology: Specificity and multiplicity of neurotransmitter action

Agonists and antagonists

Interaction ligand-receptor and associated responses: affinity and EC50

 

¨  Signal transduction mechanisms (Dra Masgrau). 4h

Receptors directly/indirectly linked to ionic channels

Structure and pharmacological sites of action

Receptors linked to G proteins

Receptors with tyrosine kinase activity

 

¨  Excitatory and inhibitory aminoacid neurotransmission (Dr Miñano). 4h

Metabolism of glutamate and other excitatory amino acids

Pharmacology of glutamate receptors

Ionotropic and metabotropic receptors

GABA metabolism, GABA receptors pharmacology

Glycine receptors                                      

 

¨  Serotoninergic neurotransmission (Dr Jiménez Altaya). 1'5h

Metabolism of serotonin

Pharmacology of serotonin receptors

Monoaminergic hypothesis of depression

 

¨  Noradrenergic neurotransmission (Dr Jiménez Altaya). 1'5h

 

¨  Dopaminergic neurotransmission (Dra Clos). 1'5h

 

¨  Cholinergic neurotransmission (Dra Clos). 1'5h

Metabolism of acetylcholine

Functional aspects ofcholinergic neurotransmission

Pharmacology of cholinergic receptors

 

¨  Histaminergic neurotransmission (Dr Ortiz). 2h

Metabolism of histamine

Pharmacology of histamine receptors

 

¨  Purinergic neurotransmission (Dr Saura). 2h

Metabolism of adenosine and purine nucleotides

Pharmacology of purinergic receptors

 

¨  Neuropeptides (Dr Armario). 2h

 

¨  Electrical phenomena of neurons (Dr Jiménez Farrerons). 2h

Ionic transport across cell membrane

Active transport, Ionic channels, transmembrane resting potential

Action potential: generation and propagation

Production of pulse trains. Stimulus / frequency relation

 

¨  Somatosensory systems (Dr López Vales). 4h

Introduction to sensory physiology

Sensory receptors

Sensory pathways coding

Central integration and sensory information transduction

Somatic sensitivity to touch, kinesthesia, thermal, pain, and visceral

 

¨  Motor systems (Dr García-Alias). 6h

Excitation and muscle contraction

Functional structure of striatal muscle fibers

Electrical phenomena. Neuro-muscular transmission

Mechanisms of muscle contraction in striatal and smooth fibers

Segmentary control of movement and posture

Motor Unit

Segmentary reflex

Gamma-motor system

Propiospinal control circuits

Suprasegmentary control of movement and posture

Motor cerebral cortex

Basal ganglia

Motor centers of brainstem

Cerebellum

 

¨  Autonomic nervous system (Dr Navarro). 3h

Efferent systems

Hypothalamus. Functional organization and multi-systemic control

Limbic system and cerebral cortex

Autonomic regulation of visceral functions

 

¨  Special Senses (Dr Udina). 4h

Taste sensitivity: Receptors, sensations, pathways and central connections

Olfactory sensitivity: Receptors, sensations, pathways and central connections

Hearing sensitivity

Vestibular sensitivity

Optic sensitivity

 

¨  Integrative functions in the brain (Dr Navarro). 1h

Electrical brain activity

Biological rhythms

Functional organization of neocortex

Language

 

¨  Practical sessions.

Nerve conduction and channels (Dr Jiménez Farrerons). 2h

Electromyography (Dr Navarro). 2h

 

¨  Integrative Seminars.

Dr José Rodríguez-Álvarez 2h (half group)

Dr Alfredo J. Miñano 6h (half group)

Dra Roser Masgrau 4h (half group)

Dr Guillermo García-Alías 8h (half group)

Dr Marcel Jiménez 1h

 

* Unless the requirements enforced by the health authorities demand a priorization or reduction of these contents.

Methodology

Combination of theoretical lectures and working with scientific articles where the more relevant themes will be exposed. It is assumed that the student will complement these sessions with reading of papers and books. Autonomous study is required for the student to reach the knowledge required to pass the module.

Laboratory practices will be done where the student will learn through the practice of some of the theoretical concepts. These practical sessions will be evaluated by means of  a group work or a short evaluation at the end of the session.

Integrative seminars will be performed where the students have to prepare some articles that will be discussed in a seminar class. To understand the articles, students must integrate the knowledge of the program and its application on research.

Th proposed teaching methodology may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Integrative seminars 11 0.44
Laboratory practicals 4 0.16
Theoretical classes 42 1.68
Type: Autonomous      
Autonomous study 106 4.24
Integrative seminars preparation 42 1.68
Work preparation 15 0.6

Assessment

To pass the module, students must get a minimum mark of 5 (to 10). Two writen exams will amount 35% each of this mark (students need a minimum of 4 in each exam to average). The remaining 30% of the mark will be evaluated in the practical sessions (through a group work or a short evaluation at the end of the practical session) and in the integrative seminars (through the participation of the students and a short evaluation at the end of each session). The students that have been presented to the two partial exams (set of evidences greater than 2/3 of the continuous evaluation) can only be presented for recovery. Thus, the student will be graded as "No Avaluable" if the weighthin of all conducted evaluation activities is less than 67% of the final score".

Important: If plagiarism is detected in any of the works submitted, the student may fail the whole module.

Student's assessment may experience some modifications depending on the restrictions to face-to-face activities enforced by health authorities.

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Evaluation of Integrative seminars 15 0.8 0.03 4, 3, 7, 5, 6, 11, 8, 2, 1, 12, 13
Evaluation of Practical sessions 15 0.2 0.01 8, 2, 1, 12, 13
Writen exam 1st Part 35 2 0.08 4, 3, 7, 6, 11, 9, 8, 10, 12
Writen exam 2nd Part 35 2 0.08 4, 3, 7, 6, 11, 9, 8, 10, 12

Bibliography

-Kandel E. Principles of neural science. Fifth edition, McGraw Hill, 2012.

-Purves D. Neurociencia, Panamericana, 2006.

-Waxman S. Molecular neurology. Academic Press 2007.

-Cooper JR. The Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology, 8th ed. Oxford Univ Press, 2002.

-Pratt WB, P Taylor. Principles of Drug Action. Churchill Livingstone, New York 1990.

-Siegel GJ. Basic Neurochemistry, 7th ed. Academic Press, 2006.

- Carpenter RHS. Neurophysiology. Ed Arnold, London, 2003.

- Cardinali. Neurociencia: sus fundamentos. Ed Panamericana, Buenos Aires, 2007

- Matthews GG. Neurobiology. Ed Blackwell Science, 2001.

- Squire LR et al. Fundamental Neuroscience. Ed Academic Press, Amsterdam, 2008.