This course aims to provide students with a broad introduction to the structure of the nervous system and comparative neuroanatomy. Through frontal lectures and brain models, students will learn to deconstruct the complexity of brain structure into discrete and meaningful anatomical and functional properties. The course will cover the major anatomical parts of the human brain, including cortical and subcortical structures, their organization, and the connections between them. Additionally, we will explore the neuroanatomy of lower mammals, such as mice and rats, to gain insights into evolutionary aspects.
Course Instructor: Dr. Liora Las
Grading Distribution:
Attendance and Participation: 10%
Midterm Exam: 20%
Final Exam: 70%
Topics to be covered by lectures:
Lecture 1: Course Overview and Introduction to Neuroanatomy
Basic concepts in neuroanatomy and its broader relation to neuroscience
Description of the mammalian brain's basic structures
Discussion of key anatomical references, including the neuraxis
Lecture 2: Neurons and Glial Cells: The Building Blocks of the Nervous System
Structure and main parts of neurons
Information flow via synapses and neurotransmitters
Overview of different types of glial cells
Lecture 3: Development of the Central Nervous System (CNS)
Major embryological subdivisions of the CNS and their formation
Lecture 4: Structural and Functional Organization of the Spinal Cord
Communication at the horizontal and vertical levels of the spinal cord
Major sensory and motor tracts
Lecture 5: Structural and Functional Organization of the Brain Stem
Midbrain, Pons, and Medulla oblongata
The twelve cranial nerves and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) by Dr. Eyal Cohen
Lecture 6: The Cerebral Cortex: Topography and Functional Relevance
Lateral, medial, and ventral views of the human brain
The four lobes of the cerebral hemispheres and major gyri and sulci
Functional areas of the cortex
Lecture 7: Layers in the Cortex and Cortical Wiring Diagram
Cytoarchitecture of the cortex and cellular organization
Information flow within the cortex and to other brain regions
Lecture 8: Structural and Functional Organization of the Diencephalon
Thalamus, subthalamus, hypothalamus, and the epithalamus (including the habenula and the pineal body). Their role in regulating various physiological functions
Lecture 9: Sensory and Motor Nervous Systems
Neural pathways for vision, audition, olfaction, touch, pain, and temperature sensation
Motor processing and motor control systems
Lecture 10: The Coordination of Movement
Structural and functional organization of the Cerebellum and basal ganglia
Their role in motor coordination and learning, presented by Dr. Eyal Cohen
Lecture 11: Protective Structures of the Brain
Meninges (Dura Mater, Arachnoid Mater, Pia Mater)
Blood-Brain Barrier, Ventricles, Cerebrospinal Fluid, and choroid plexuses
Lecture 12: The Limbic System and Cerebral Circuits for Emotion, Learning, and Memory
Lecture 13: Techniques for Studying the Structure of the Brain
Noninvasive and invasive techniques for studying the structural connections of the brain
Lecture 14: Brain Evolution and Comparative Neuroanatomy
Comparison of nervous systems in various organisms from C. elegans to mammals
Exam review and final thoughts