Molecular and Physiological Neurobiology
Code: 45418 ECTS Credits: 9| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 4313792 Neurosciences | OB | 0 |
Contact
- Name:
- Enrique Claro Izaguirre
- Email:
- enrique.claro@uab.cat
Teachers
- Antonio Armario Garcia
- Marcel Jimenez Farrerons
- Xavier Navarro Acebes
- Carles Gil Giro
- Jordi Ortiz de Pablo
- Montserrat Solé Piñol
- Clara Penas Perez
- Gemma Manich Raventos
- Guillermo Garcia Alias
- Roser Masgrau Juanola
- Alfredo Jesús Miñano Molina
- Ruben Lopez Vales
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
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 (B2 or higher).
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.
Learning Outcomes
- CA04 (Competence) Explain the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying diseases of the nervous system to an audience specialised in molecular neurobiology and cellular physiology as well as to a lay audience.
- CA05 (Competence) Relate the knowledge acquired about the neuropharmacology of chemical synapses to the pathology of the nervous system.
- CA06 (Competence) Compare the physiological and molecular substrates underlying the various pathologies of the nervous system.
- KA04 (Knowledge) Recognise the nervous system as a means of integration and communication between distant areas of the organism.
- KA05 (Knowledge) Define the normal physiological processes and molecular alterations in the nervous system.
- KA06 (Knowledge) Indicate the basis of therapeutic treatments for pathologies of the nervous system.
- SA04 (Skill) Analyse the molecular mechanisms operating in the central and peripheral nervous systems of living organisms.
- SA05 (Skill) Determine the physiological processes that take place in the nervous system under normal conditions and their pathological manifestations in physiological and molecular contexts.
- SA06 (Skill) Distinguish the components of the chemical synapse in the context of the receptor-, transporter- and enzyme-based pharmacology involved in the synthesis and degradation of neurotransmitters.
Content
PROGRAM:
Molecular and Physiological Neurobiology (Module 2)
¨ Generalities on neurotransmission and receptor pharmacology (Dr Claro). 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 Gemma Manich). 1'5h
Metabolism of serotonin
Pharmacology of serotonin receptors
Monoaminergic hypothesis of depression
¨ Noradrenergic neurotransmission (Dr Gemma Manich). 1'5h
¨ Dopaminergic neurotransmission (Drs Gil/Ortiz). 1'5h
¨ Cholinergic neurotransmission (Dra Solé). 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. Functionalorganization and multi-systemic control
Limbic system and cerebral cortex
Autonomic regulation of visceral functions
¨ Special Senses (Dr Penas). 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 Alfredo J. Miñano
Dra Roser Masgrau
Dr Enrique Claro
Dr Guillermo García-Alías
Dr Clara Penas
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Interative seminars | 11 | 0.44 | |
| Laboratory practicals | 4 | 0.16 | |
| Lectures | 42 | 1.68 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Autonomous study | 106 | 4.24 | |
| Seminar preparation | 42 | 1.68 | |
| Work preparation | 15 | 0.6 |
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.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Laboratory practicals | 15 | 0.2 | 0.01 | CA05, KA04, KA05, SA04, SA05 |
| Integrative seminars assessment | 15 | 0.8 | 0.03 | CA04, CA05, CA06, KA04, KA05, KA06, SA04, SA05, SA06 |
| Written exam 1st part | 35 | 2 | 0.08 | CA04, CA05, CA06, KA04, KA05, KA06, SA04, SA05, SA06 |
| Written exam 2nd part | 35 | 2 | 0.08 | CA04, CA05, CA06, KA04, KA05, KA06, SA04, SA05, SA06 |
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). In order to take the recovery exam, students must have been previously assessed in a set of activities whose weight is equivalent to at least two-thirds of the total mark for the subject or module. Students will receive a grade of "Not Evaluated" when the completed assessment activities account for less than a third of the final mark.
Important: If plagiarism is detected in any of the works submitted, the student may fail the whole module.
Bibliography
-Kandel E. Principles of Neural Science. Sixth edition, McGraw Hill, 2021.
-Purves D. Neuroscience, Oxford University Press USA, 2017.
-Waxman S. Molecular Neurology. Academic Press, Last edition 2014 (eBook).
-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, 8th ed. Academic Press, 2012.
Software
Tutors will provide the requiered software.
Language list
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PLABm) Practical laboratories (master) | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PLABm) Practical laboratories (master) | 2 | Catalan | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEMm) Seminars (master) | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (SEMm) Seminars (master) | 2 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | English | first semester | morning-mixed |