NENS 220.
The course focuses on the application of computational approaches to better understand the roles of individual molecules in the behavior of neurons, circuits, and organisms. Questions addressed include: How does the membrane trafficking of particular ion channels to different neuronal regions (axons, dendrites, cell bodies) affect the computation performed by individual neurons? How is the dynamic range of neurons extended by the expression of a variety of ion channels? Are neurons analog or digital devices, or both? How can the deletions of rare forms of ion channel subunits result in complex behavioral phenotypes? What are the roles of specific neurons and circuits in those phenotypes?
The course begins with a discussion of the roles of various intrinsic excitability mechanisms (voltage-gated and leak ion channels, membrane transporters, ligand gated channels, etc.) in determining the overall resting state of neurons and their input/output relationships. The course then continues to explore microcircuit behavior and the development of emergent network behaviors. We will use the NEURON environment to illustrate the utility of simulation for understanding both cellular and network behavior, as well as for generating falsifiable hypotheses that can be tested in relevant biological systems. A final project will be developed based on the fundamentals and tools introduced in the course. Recommended: Neurobiology 206 and facility with linear algebra and calculus. 4 units, Offered Winter quarter in odd numbered years Recommended for all Neuroscience Program graduate students; open to graduate, medical, and advanced undergraduate students (with consent of the instructor).
Textbook: Biophysics of Computation, by Christof Koch, Oxford University Press, 2004
Modelling voltage-dependent channels Destexhe & Huguenard Chapter
A primer in single cell computation Electrophysiology of the Neuron
Neuron Home Page at Duke (John Moore)
Neuron Home Page at Yale (Michael Hines)
Senselab at Yale, Databases of neurons, ion channels, models
Real VNC viewer For remote viewing of simulation sessions on course server. NOTE. You only need the viewer component of VNC for this.