Neurobiology

What you'll learn

• Describe the structure of neurons and glia, axonal transport, the blood–brain barrier and the organization of the nervous system, and move between molecular, cellular, circuit and behavioral levels of explanation.
• Explain how ion channels select ions, sense voltage, open and inactivate, interpret single-channel recordings and channelopathies, and analyze the leaky integrate-and-fire neuron and its f–I curve.
• Apply cable theory and compartmental models to predict attenuation of synaptic signals, and explain how active dendrites, inhibition placement and spines shape synaptic integration.
• Analyze quantal transmission, the calcium dependence and molecular machinery of release, short-term plasticity, and the differences between ionotropic and metabotropic receptors.
• Compare the major transmitter and neuromodulatory systems, apply affinity, efficacy and the Schild equation to drug action, and explain the neurobiology behind opioid overdose and cannabis effects in the North American policy context.
• Explain the induction and expression of LTP and LTD, spike-timing-dependent plasticity and homeostatic plasticity, and evaluate evidence linking synaptic plasticity to memory.
• Trace visual processing from phototransduction through retinal circuits and V1 to parallel cortical streams, and model center–surround and orientation-tuned receptive fields.
• Explain cochlear tonotopy and amplification, sound localization, touch, pain modulation and the chemical senses, and relate receptor molecules to sensory coding.
• Describe motor control from motor units and spinal circuits to motor cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum, decode movement from population activity and explain Parkinson's disease and deep brain stimulation.
• Distinguish memory systems, apply Rescorla–Wagner and temporal-difference models to conditioning and dopamine signals, and explain hippocampal maps, consolidation, fear learning and the circadian clock.
• Evaluate methods for measuring and manipulating brain activity and building connectomes, and use rate and attractor models, including Hopfield networks, to explain network computation.
• Relate the biology of neurodegenerative, acute and psychiatric disorders to treatments, interpret biomarker tests, and analyze brain–computer interfaces and neuroethical and legal questions in Canada and the United States.