TITLE: Neural systems



BSCI338E Neuroethology Fall 2012

Instructor: Carr (5-2085, cecarr@umd.edu) TuTh.2:00-3:15 pm (PLS 1113)

Text: Behavioral Neurobiology by Thomas J. Carew

Course objectives: core concepts in systems neuroscience

1. Review of neurobiology

2. Sensory worlds: bats, owls and toads

3. Motor Strategies

4. Learning and memory

5. Presentations: 2 per class, 30 minutes each (30% grade). This time includes time for questions led by two other students (10% grade)

|Date |Topic |Faculty |

|30-Aug |Neurons as building blocks of behavior |Carr |

|4-Sep |Basic Properties of Nerve Cells |Carr |

|6-Sep |Echolocation in Bats |Carr |

|11- Sep |Neural Mechanisms of Echolocation |Carr |

|13-Sep |Echolocation presentations |Student |

|18-Sep |Prey Location In Barn Owls |Carr |

|20-Sep |Neural Pathways for Sound Localization |Carr |

|25-Sep |Visual Calibration of the Auditory World |Student |

|27-Sep |Feature Analysis in Toads |Carr |

|26-Feb |The Visual System (mammal, mostly) |Carr |

|2-Oct |Feature Analysis in visual systems |Student |

|4-Oct |Odor Perception |Carr |

|9-Oct |Odor coding |Carr |

|11-Oct |Exam I (30% grade) |Student |

|16-Oct |Models of smell |Student |

|18-Oct |Motor behavior in small systems |Carr |

|23-Oct |The stomatogastric system |Carr |

|25-Oct |STG models |Student |

|30-Oct |Escape Behavior in Crayfish |Carr |

|1- Nov |Motivational Modulation of Escape Behavior |Carr |

|6-Nov |Escape Behavior in Crayfish |Student |

|8-Nov |Walking and swimming |Carr |

|13-Nov |Locomotion CPGs |Carr |

|15-Nov |Spinal cord regeneration |Student |

|20-Nov |Learning and Memory in Simple Reflex Systems in Aplysia |Carr |

|23-Nov |THANKSGIVING | |

|27-Nov |Molecular Genetics of Learning and Memory in Drosophila |Carr |

|29-Nov |Physiological Links between Genes and Behavior |Student |

|4-Dec |Spatial Navigation in Rats |Carr |

|6-Dec |Place Cells in the Hippocampus |Carr |

|11-Dec |Synaptic plasticity in cortex |Student |

|17-Dec |EXAM II take home (30% grade, pick up 11th, return 17th | |

| | | |

This course is run on ELMS at - you must login to read the syllabus, receive instructions, and sign up for presentation groups.

Grade:

2 exams, 30% each, on material in class, text and readings. Note that exams are not cumulative.

1 presentation and paper. 30% of your grade is from a presentation and a 5-10 page single spaced paper on your seminar presentation, due 1 week after presentation. The paper must contain at least 10 references to primary literature. Days of presentations will begin with a short lecture, followed by 20-30 minute presentations by two students.

2 discussions (10%). Each student will also sign up to lead two discussions. They will be responsible for reading the papers presented in depth, and then asking questions of the speakers. Thus each presentation has one speaker, and 2 discussants.

Attendance:

I am happy to excuse attendance for interviews etc, but this must be arranged in advance. Otherwise, attendance is mandatory.

How to write a research paper

1. Choose a topic you want to know more about.

2. Read the text, then select relevant primary literature. Read it.

3. Go to PubMed:

4. Review the author’s web sites. These will give you the big picture if you are lucky. Do not paraphrase or copy from these sites without using “” quote marks and providing a citation. Copying is plagiarism and will lead to an F or disciplinary action.

5. Outline what you want to write. Go between text, web and primary literature until you can write a reasonable synthesis. Start with text or web and consider each statement you wish to make. Then use the primary literature to show why each is true.

6. Feel free to use up to date reviews like Trends in Neuroscience, Nature reviews or Current Opinion or Annual Reviews. Electronic versions are available through the library.

7. Cite your papers. Include at least 5 citations from the literature (web does not count here). Put the citations in the text where they belong in this form (author, date) e.g. (Smith and Jones, 2002). No other form is acceptable to me.

To prepare an acceptable presentation

1. Use the same material as for your paper.

2. Scan or download figures that you will need to explain your point.

3. Prepare a power point (or other media) presentation

4. Time yourself in practice. I will cut you off after 16 minutes.

5. Talk: Tell us what you are going to say (your main point)

6. Setup introduction (why its important)

7. Results, and discussion.

8. Conclude with main points again.

9. Prepare for questions.

[Rubric; Content/depth reveals your familiarity with work, presence of illustrations reveals degree of preparation, answering questions from faculty and class members]

How discussants should prepare

1. Co-ordinate with the speakers. Are they happy with questions during their presentation? Would they like you to wait until the end?

2. Read the papers, prepare questions.

3. Introduce the speaker and lead the discussion.

[Rubric; introduction, content/depth of questions should reveal your familiarity with work, leading discussion from other class members]

Course objectives:

The course covers three major areas in neuroethology - sensory processing, motor strategies and learning and memory. In the sensory section, we discuss the neurobiological circuits underlying echolocation in bats, prey location in barn owls and feature analysis in toads. Motor topics include mate calling in crickets, escape behavior in crayfish, lamprey spinal cord regeneration and the stomatogastric system of crabs. The learning and memory section goes from the development of learning in songbirds, odor coding and associative learning in honeybees, learning and memory in simple reflex systems in Aplysia, molecular genetics of learning and memory in Drosophila to spatial navigation in rats. Where possible, we highlight work from the neuroethology faculty at Maryland.

You will be responsible for this information, and for the material in two papers assigned for each discussion class.

Text:

The text book is old, but good, so we use modern papers as a supplement. Many used copies are available. We won’t cover all chapters, but will substitute and/or supplement with readings

Part I Introduction

Chapter 1: Neurons as building blocks of behavior

The Analysis of Behavior in the Field and in the Laboratory

Measuring Behavior in the Natural Environment

Measuring Behavior in the Laboratory

Cells, Synapses, and Circuits

Chapter 1 Basic Properties of Nerve Cells

Basic Properties of Nerve Cells

Synaptic Transmission

The Neuronal Architecture of Behavior

Relating Nerve Cells to Behavior

PART II: Sensory Worlds

Chapter 2: Echolocation in Bats

The Behavioral Repertoire of Bats

Cues That Bats Use to Decode Their Acoustic Environment

The Hunting Bat

Neural Mechanisms of Echolocation

The Basilar Membrane and Primary Sensory Neurons

The Inferior Colliculus

The Auditory Cortex

Why Are Any Moths Left?

Chapter 3: Prey Location In Barn Owls

Bringing the Behaving Barn Owl into the Laboratory

Intensity Cues

Timing Cues

Exploring the Neural Pathways for Sound Localization

Space-Specific Neurons Provide a Map of Auditory Space

Measuring and Encoding Interaural Time Differences

The Owl's Auditory System Uses Delay Lines and Coincidence Detectors

Visual Calibration of the Auditory World

Behavioral Analysis of the Role of Visual Experience in Auditory Localization

Neural Correlates of Behavioral Plasticity

A Sensitive Period for Visual Calibration of

ITD Tuning in the Tectum

Sites of Adaptive Plasticity in the Auditory System

Chapter 4: Feature Analysis in Toads

Recognition and Localization of Predators and Prey

Responses in the Natural Environment

Bringing Prey-Catching Behavior into the Laboratory

The Search for Feature Analyzers in the Toad's Brain

The Visual System of the Toad

Responses of Retinal Ganglion Cells to Behaviorally Relevant Stimuli

Responses of Thalamic- Pretectal Neurons OB

Responses of Tectal Neurons

Candidate Neural Circuit for Feature Analysis in the Toad

From Recognition to Response

PART III: Motor Strategies

Chapter 5: Mate Calling in Crickets

Song Production by the Male

The Neural Circuitry for Song Production

Triggering a Song

Song Recognition by the Female

Essential Features of the Calling Song

Recognition and Localization of the Song

Neuronal Processing of Song

Sender-Receiver Matching

Chapter 6: Flight in Locusts

The Flying Locust

A Behavioral Analysis of Flight

Anatomy of the Flight System

Cellular Organization of the Flight System

Discovery of a Central Pattern Generator in the Flight System

Cellular Organization of the Central Pattern Generator

The Role of Proprioceptive Feedback

Integrating Sensory Information during Flight

Deviation-Detecting Interneurons

Processing of Descending Information in the Flight Control Circuitry

Chapter 7: Escape Behavior in Crayfish

Behavioral Features and Functional Anatomy of the Escape Response

Neuronal Architecture of the Escape Response

The Neural Circuit for the Tail Flip Re-extension

Swimming

Adaptive Modulation of the Escape Response

Restraint- lnduced Inhibition

Motivational Modulation of Escape Behavior

Modulation of Escape Behavior by Learning

PART III: Behavioral plasticity

Chapter 8: The Development of Learning in Songbirds

The Behavioral Analysis of Birdsong: From the Field to the Laboratory

What's in a Song?

The Learning of Song

Sexual Dimorphism and Hormonal Regulation

Singing in the Brain

Anatomy of the Song System

Laterality of the Song System

Seasonal Variations and Neurogenesis

The Anterior Forebrain Pathway

Cellular Analysis of the Song System

Summary

Chapter 9: Associative Learning in Honey bees

Learning in the Natural Environment

The Foraging Cycle

The Special Case of Flower Learning

Associating Color with Reward

It's All in the Timing

There's More to a Flower than Its Color

Odor Learning in the Proboscis Extension Reflex

Conditioning of the PER

Neuronal Analysis of PER Conditioning

Summary

Chapter 10: Learning and Memory in Simple Reflex Systems in Aplysia

Behavioral Studies in the Gill and Siphon Withdrawal Reflex

Non-associative Learning: Habituation, Dishabituation, and Sensitization

Associative Learning: Classical Conditioning

Long-Term Memory

Cellular Studies of Learning and Memory

The Functional Architecture of Withdrawal Reflexes in Aplysia

The Cellular Analysis of Behavior in Aplysia

Mechanistic Analysis of Sensitization

Mechanistic Analysis of Classical Conditioning

Mechanistic Analysis of Long-Term Memory

Intermediate-Term Memory

Chapter 11: Molecular Genetics of Learning and Memory in Drosophila

Genetic Dissection of Learning and Memory

Olfactory Shock Avoidance Learning

Olfactory Learning: The New and Improved Model

Mutants as a Window onto Mechanism

Physiological Links between Genes and Behavior

The Mushroom Bodies Revisited

Molecular Dissection of Memory

cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase in Transgenic Flies

cAMP-Response Element Binding Protein (CREB) in Transgenic Flies

Chapter12: Spatial Navigation in Rats

Spatial Learning

Maze Learning

The Role of the Hippocampus in Spatial Learning and Memory

Cells That Code for Space

Place Cells in the Hippocampus

Head Direction Cells

Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus

LTP in the CA1 Region of the Hippocampus

LTP and Spatial Learning

Experiments That Are Knockouts

CaM KII Knockout Mice

NMDA Receptor Knockout Mice

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