9.011 | Fall 2002 | Graduate

The Brain and Cognitive Sciences I

Course Description

Survey of principles underlying the structure and function of the nervous system, integrating molecular, cellular, and systems approaches. Topics: development of the nervous system and its connections, cell biology or neurons, neurotransmitters and synaptic transmission, sensory systems of the brain, the …
Survey of principles underlying the structure and function of the nervous system, integrating molecular, cellular, and systems approaches. Topics: development of the nervous system and its connections, cell biology or neurons, neurotransmitters and synaptic transmission, sensory systems of the brain, the neuro-endocrine system, the motor system, higher cortical functions, behavioral and cellular analyses of learning and memory. First half of an intensive two-term survey of brain and behavioral studies for first-year graduate students.
Learning Resource Types
Written Assignments
Three images: an illustration of an interior view of the human brain; a mouse next to two plastic shapes; an ullustration of several circles interconnected by lines.

These images demonstrate the breadth of subject matter in this course. (Images courtesy of Nathan Wilson.)

• Image 1: Midsagittal brain section.
• Image 2: “Doogie” mouse over-expressing NR2B subunit of the NMDA receptor learns faster and remembers better.
• Image 3: Schematic representation of neural network: Parallel interconnected nodes provide robust information processing in neuronal systems.