Neurobiology of the Synapse

Undergraduate

Synapses are specialized structures where nerve cells communicate with each other through a process called synaptic transmission. Synapses are the functional units of the brain and are targets of many diseases and drugs. The ability of synapses to transmit information from one neuron to another, changes with experience (synaptic plasticity) in processes such as learning and memory. This course will help students understand aspects of synapses from a cellular and molecular perspective. Topics such as synaptic vesicle cycling, synaptic plasticity, learning and memory, and neurological diseases originating at the synapse will be covered. Synapses from both the peripheral and central nervous systems of invertebrates and vertebrates will be discussed. (Prerequisite: BIOL-2480 or BIOM-2400). (3 lecture hours per week.)