This course provides an introduction to the neuroscience of emotions. We will explore the brain structures, neural circuits, and physiological processes that underlie emotions and subsequent behaviors. Topics include but are not limited to the role of the different brain regions, neurotransmitters, neuroimaging techniques, emotional regulation, the impact of emotions on cognition and behavior and the role of emotions in the development of AI.

This course does not count towards the Neuroscience major.

This course will examine primary literature on neurodegenerative diseases. We will discuss primary research articles on various topics including, but not limited to, the underlying pathological mechanisms and clinical symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Throughout the course we will address aberrant protein aggregation, genetic variants, and therapeutic treatments associated with these two neurodegenerative diseases. The course will consist of student-led presentations of primary research articles, in-class discussions, writing assignments, and a video essay. Learning goals for this course include enhancing scientific literacy, critically examining research inequities, building teamwork skills, and practicing self-reflection.

This course has a required co-requisite laboratory - NEUR 320L.

This course will provide a broad introduction to neuroscience, focusing on examples and approaches from cellular and molecular, cognitive, behavioral, systems, and computational neuroscience. The lecture aspect of the course will be accompanied by a 75-minute practicum in which students will engage directly in experimental neuroscience.

This course will provide a broad introduction to neuroscience, focusing on examples and approaches from cellular and molecular, cognitive, behavioral, systems, and computational neuroscience. The lecture aspect of the course will be accompanied by a 75-minute practicum in which students will engage directly in experimental neuroscience.

This course will provide a broad introduction to neuroscience, focusing on examples and approaches from cellular and molecular, cognitive, behavioral, systems, and computational neuroscience. The lecture aspect of the course will be accompanied by a 75-minute practicum in which students will engage directly in experimental neuroscience.

This course will provide a broad introduction to neuroscience, focusing on examples and approaches from cellular and molecular, cognitive, behavioral, systems, and computational neuroscience. The lecture aspect of the course will be accompanied by a 75-minute practicum in which students will engage directly in experimental neuroscience.

This course will build on basic concepts in neuroscience that were introduced in NEUR 100. Current issues will be examined within a broad framework that includes readings in cellular and molecular, cognitive, behavioral, and computational neuroscience. Topics such as sensory systems, learning, memory, and cognition will be covered. The accompanying laboratory is designed to expose students to basic methods and experimental approaches in neuroscience.

This course has a required co-requisite Laboratory - NEUR 200L.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. In this course, you will become familiar with the functions of glutamate in healthy neurotransmission, plasticity, and disease including stroke, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and drug abuse. In addition, you will continue to improve your ability to critically read scientific literature. This course is designed to be interactive, and lectures will be supplemented by in-class activities and discussions. In the laboratory portion of this course, you will have the opportunity to study the role of glutamate receptor mutations on C. elegans behavior, and study the role of glutamate receptors in long-term potentiation. Through these experiences you will improve your reading, critical thinking, writing, problem solving, and oral presentation skills.

This course has a required co-requisite Laboratory - NEUR 305L.

What are the neuronal mechanisms and computations that allow an animal to translate sensory information into appropriate decisions and behavior? Neuroethology seeks to understand how a nervous system translates information from the external and internal environment to behavior by examining the whole animal in its natural state. Topics will be introduced via textbook and primary literature and reviewed in lecture, followed by student-led presentations and discussions. What are the moral and societal implications of gaining a better understanding of how the brain controls behavior? We will end with an introduction to the neuroscience of morality and philosophy. This is a Maurer Public Speaking course and will offer multiple opportunities to learn and practice skills for speaking for a technical and non-technical audience.

This course has a required co-requisite Laboratory - NEUR 310L.

Hormones act throughout the body to coordinate basic biological functions such as development, differentiation, and reproduction. This course will investigate how hormones act in the brain to regulate physiology and behavior. We will study how the major neuroendocrine axes regulate a variety of functions, including brain development, reproductive physiology and behavior, homeostasis, and stress. The regulation of these functions by hormones will be investigated at the molecular, cellular, and behavioral levels.

Although we spend a major part of our lives sleeping, we understand surprisingly little about sleep and dreaming. In this course we will discuss recent advances made in the field of neuroscience of sleep. Course topics include basic neurobiology of sleep (what is sleep, how is it regulated) as well as specialized discussions of sleep-related learning and memory investigated in different model systems. You will get familiar with these topics through a combination of in-depth review sessions, in-class activities and student presentations of the primary literature. In the laboratory section of this course, we will design and execute a complete, novel, experiment with a small group. We will investigate sleep, learning and memory in different model organisms. The project groups will write up their results in a research article to be submitted to the undergraduate journal "Impulse". Assignments are given to hone presentation and writing skills and to give students the opportunity to explore their favorite topic in more detail. In this Maurer Public Speaking Intensive course, we will build towards presenting in front of a larger audience through multiple public speaking assignments.

Neuropharmacology is the study of how drugs act on the nervous system. In this course, you will learn the molecular mechanisms of drug action, increase your depth of knowledge of the various neurotransmitter systems, and apply this knowledge to understand how drugs are used to treat disorders of the nervous system including pain, sleep disorders, affective disorders, addiction, schizophrenia, neurodegeneration, seizures, and stroke. You will have the opportunity to discuss primary literature, lead class discussions, and investigate the properties of drugs that appear in the popular press. Through these experiences you will improve your reading, critical thinking, writing, and oral presentation skills.