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

Disclaimer 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 Understand the biological basis of Consciousness Perception Actions Learning Memory Disease

Challenges Faced by Neuroscientists Are these processes localized to specific regions of the brain? 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? How does previous experience alter the way the brain processes and perceive subsequent events?

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

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

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

What part of the organism do we study?

Neurochemistry Neurotransmitters Acetylcholine, Catecholamines, Neuropeptides, Histamines, etc. Neuropharmachology Tylenol, Imitrex, Tegretol, etc. Behavioral Neurochemistry Psychotic disorders, Affective disorders, Anxiety, Learning and Memory

What part of the organism do we study?

Neurophysiology Electrical signaling Action potentials V m =RT/zF ln C o /C i Neural circuitry Muscle control, Reflexes, Learning, Memory Processing sensory inputs and making sense of them

What part of the organism do we study? Neurophysiology 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?

Neuroanatomy Gross level Neurohistology

What part of the organism do we study?

Neurobiology - Multidisciplinary Molecular Biology Biochemistry Cell Biology Physiology Anatomy Behavior

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

A Neuroscience Example Multiple sclerosis 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 Molecular biology approach Try to determine what is attacking the myelin sheath

Multiple Sclerosis Biochemical/Cell Biology An attack on the myelin in the CNS 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 Lipid/protein biochemistry Immunology

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

Multiple Sclerosis Anatomically 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 Parkinson’s disease – 500,000 Depression – 15 million Schizophrenia – 2 million Stroke – 100,000 per year Addiction

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

Acknowledgments Kandel, Schwartz, and Jessell (1991) Principles of Neural Science 3 ed Matthews (2002) Neurobiology 2ed Enchantedlearning.com Siegel, Agranof, Albers, Molinoff (1989) Basic Neurochemistry 4ed National Multiple Sclerosis Society MIT open courseware: 901 An Introduction to Neuroscience Belmonte and Thoroughman Introduction to Neuroscience Clancy, Barbara An Introduction to Neuroscience The Wizard of Oz (1939) Pinky and the Brain National Society for Neuroscience Perron et al (1997) Molecular Identification of a Novel Retrovirus Repeatedly Isolated from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis. PNAS 94(14):