An Introduction to Neuroscience What exactly are we

An Introduction to Neuroscience What exactly are we talking about? Robert Vick, Ph. D. Department of Biology Elon University

Disclaimer n I am a physiologist with an interest in cellular neurochemistry. I have tried to include as many aspects of neuroscience as I can, and this presentation should be taken with a grain of salt. I apologize to any one, group, or discipline that I may not have given adequate due to. Any perceived slight is unintentional.

Challenges Faced by Neuroscientists n Understand the biological basis of n n n Consciousness Perception Actions Learning Memory Disease

Challenges Faced by Neuroscientists n Are these processes localized to specific regions of the brain? n n n If so, how does the anatomy and physiology of these specific regions work? What level (region, sub region, neuron) do we need to go to understand? Are these processes a collective property of the whole brain?

Challenges Faced by Neuroscientists How does the genetics of an organism influence behavior or perceptions or memory, etc? n How does previous experience alter the way the brain processes and perceive subsequent events? n

What Do Neuroscientists Study? n Medical problems n n Comparative animal problems n n Sensory, behavior Psychological problems n n Diseases, treatments Learning and memory, behavior, processing Exercise problems n Motivation, effective training techniques

Where Do You Find a Neuroscientist? Hospitals and Medical Centers n Government n n FDA Colleges and Universities n Pharmaceutical companies n Private research organizations n

What part of the organism do we study? n Cellular Level n n n CNS v PNS Neurons Glia n n Astrocytes v Fibroblasts Oligodendrocytes v Schwann Cells Microglia Ependymal cells

What part of the organism do we study?

What part of the organism do we study? n Neurochemistry n Neurotransmitters n n Neuropharmachology n n Acetylcholine, Catecholamines, Neuropeptides, Histamines, etc. Tylenol, Imitrex, Tegretol, etc. Behavioral Neurochemistry n Psychotic disorders, Affective disorders, Anxiety, Learning and Memory

What part of the organism do we study?

What part of the organism do we study? n Neurophysiology n Electrical signaling n n n Action potentials Vm=RT/z. F ln Co/Ci Neural circuitry n n Muscle control, Reflexes, Learning, Memory Processing sensory inputs and making sense of them

What part of the organism do we study? n Neurophysiology n n n How the brain controls the musculature Process that control what the brain is used for – sleep and attention How the brain processes and uses language

What part of the organism do we study?

What part of the organism do we study? n Neuroanatomy n n Gross level Neurohistology

What part of the organism do we study?

Neurobiology - Multidisciplinary Molecular Biology n Biochemistry n Cell Biology n Physiology n Anatomy n Behavior n

What organisms do we use? Honey bee n Fruit fly n C. elegans n Aplysia n Octopus n Rodents n Humans n

A Neuroscience Example n Multiple sclerosis n n n Chronic progressive autoimmune disease that affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord Affects 400, 000 in the US and 2. 5 million people worldwide 2 -3 times as many women are affected as men

Multiple Sclerosis n Molecular biology approach n Try to determine what is attacking the myelin sheath

Multiple Sclerosis n Biochemical/Cell Biology n An attack on the myelin in the CNS n n n May be viral, may be autoimmune Scarring occurs and may form sclerotic areas Try to determine what is being exposed in the myelin to trigger an immune response n n Lipid/protein biochemistry Immunology

Multiple Sclerosis n Physiologic n n n Damage can slow or block electrical nerve signals that control muscle coordination, strength, sensation, and vision MS patients are extremely heat sensitive – can be a cause of death Examine the pathways that are being affected

Multiple Sclerosis n Pharmachologic n Drugs that may lessen the effects of the disease n n Beta interferon, Copaxone, Tysabri, Novantrone Drugs that may help with quality of life n Corticosteroids, muscle relaxants, fatigue reduction, bladder issues

Multiple Sclerosis n Anatomically n n n Identify areas of insult Identify exactly what is being changed Identify if treatments are having a positive or negative effect on the disease

Support the National MS Society

Other neurological diseases in the US Alzheimer’s disease – 3 million and increasing n Parkinson’s disease – 500, 000 n Depression – 15 million n Schizophrenia – 2 million n Stroke – 100, 000 per year n Addiction n

Recap n Society for Neuroscience n Over 30, 000 attendees at 2007 San Diego meeting n 2008 meeting is in Washington DC in November Variety of levels and topics to study n Probably someone you know has some connection to neuroscience n

Acknowledgments n n n Kandel, Schwartz, and Jessell (1991) Principles of Neural Science 3 ed Matthews (2002) Neurobiology 2 ed Enchantedlearning. com Siegel, Agranof, Albers, Molinoff (1989) Basic Neurochemistry 4 ed National Multiple Sclerosis Society MIT open courseware: 901 An Introduction to Neuroscience http: //ocw. mit. edu Belmonte and Thoroughman Introduction to Neuroscience http: //www. mattababby. org Clancy, Barbara An Introduction to Neuroscience http: //faulty. uca. edu/~bclancy/bio 3370. html The Wizard of Oz (1939) www. youtube. com Pinky and the Brain www. youtube. com National Society for Neuroscience Perron et al (1997) Molecular Identification of a Novel Retrovirus Repeatedly Isolated from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. PNAS 94(14): 7583 -7588