516-305 Structure & Function of the Brain

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Prerequisites

Any 200-level subject in anatomy and cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, physiology, zoology. Students without any biological background may be admitted to the subject by the head of department.

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

By the end of the subject the student should:

• comprehend the terminology of neuroscience, the principles and essential information regarding the macroscopic and microscopic structure of the nervous system and the functional components of the nervous system, including their organisation and major connections, the correlation of structure with function including behaviour, and the major effects of lesions to clinically important areas and pathways;

• develop observational and organisational skills to identify and interpret the macroscopic appearance of the brain and spinal cord, including cut sections, and the microscopic appearance of the nervous system; skills to analyse the structural and functional changes which may occur in disorders of the nervous system; and

• appreciate the extent and limitations of current knowledge of the organisation of the central nervous system, particularly in the context of recent profound advances in neuroscience; the implications of such limitations in our understanding of how the brain works.

The following topics will be considered: the structure and function of the nervous system with emphasis on the main sensory systems (including vision, hearing and touch) and the motor systems; dissection and histological examination of human and macaque brains.

Assessment

A 2-hour end of-semester written examination and a 1-hour practical examination during the semester.

Prescribed Texts

• Kandel Schwartz and Jessell, Principles of Neural Science.
• J Nolte, J B Angerine, The Human Brain in Photographs and Diagrams.