B8295 - NEUROPHYSIOLOGY

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student owns a critical overview of fundamental aspects of neural processing and the plasticity of brain circuits. The student learns how neural circuits, based on their functional and anatomical organization, solve complex challenges related to the coding, analysis, and transmission of nerve signals. At the end of the course the student knows the essential neuroanatomical structures and their roles, covering both cortical and subcortical regions. He/she knows the key techniques for recording and analyzing brain responses.The student learns how neural circuits in sensory and motor pathways enable the control of movement at central, spinal, and peripheral levels. Then, the neurophysiology of cognitive functions such as memory, language, and attention, and explore how cognitive processes influence motor control will be treated. Then, neuroplasticity and neuromotor learning theories, emphasizing mechanisms that govern the induction and consolidation of plasticity. At the end of the course the student is able to understand adaptive behaviors and learning processes.

Course contents

1) The Neuron: Cellular Neurobiology & Electrophysiology

Structural and functional organization of neurons and glial cells, including cytoskeleton, axonal transport, myelination, the blood–brain barrier and cerebrospinal fluid. Principles of cellular electrophysiology: ion channels, membrane potential, passive membrane properties, and action-potential generation and propagation. Chemical transmission at neuromuscular and central synapses, neurotransmitter receptors, postsynaptic potentials, synaptic integration and plasticity.

2) Neural Signals, Coding and Decoding

Origin and interpretation of extracellular neural signals, from local field potentials to spikes; principles of signal filtering, spike detection and spike sorting. Characterization of neural responses through raster plots, PSTHs, firing rates and tuning curves. Neural variability and noise, population coding, state-space representations, dimensionality reduction, neural manifolds and population dynamics. Principles of discrete and continuous neural decoding, with applications to brain–machine interfaces.

3) From Neuron to Nervous System

Neuroanatomy of the nervous system: the intricate anatomy of the nervous system, exploring the peripheral nervous system and its functions. Notions on the neuroanatomy of the central nervous system: functions of the main neural cortical and subcortical structures.

4) Perception

Sensory Coding: mechanisms of sensory coding, including receptors of the somatosensory system. The constructive nature of visual processing, from low-level visual processing in the retina to high-level visual processing impacting cognition, attention and action organization.

5) Movement: Sensorimotor and Cortical Control

Principles of motor control under uncertainty, noise and sensory delays: reflexive, rhythmic and voluntary control; feedforward and feedback strategies, internal models, state estimation, Bayesian integration and optimal feedback control. Motor units, muscle force and spinal sensorimotor circuits. Cortical organization of voluntary movement, descending motor pathways, goal-directed planning and population activity. Error-based motor adaptation and practice-dependent skill learning.

6) Neurophysiology of cognitive functions: memory, attention, action and perception coupling, language.

Classical and operating conditioning. Positive reinforcement. Learning and memory. Classification of the types of memory on the basis of content and duration. Cortical plasticity: modification of cerebral circuits as result of experience. Amnesia. Memory and ageing. Neural circuits for different types of memory. Attention and eye movements. Action and perception neural interfaces. Language: language and brain. Hemispheric lateralization.

Readings/Bibliography

Kandel ER, Jessell TM, Schwartz JH, Siegelbaum SA, Hudspeth AJ. Principles of Neural Science, 5th ed. Mc Graw-Hill

for consultation: Purves D, et al., Neurosciences, 6th ed. Sinauer Associates

Articles and reviews will be provided to supplement these texts.

 

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons using Power Point presentations.

Interactive methods (e.g. Kahoot, Mentimeter, Jove, etc…) learned in recent didactic laboratories of UNIBO will also be added, so to have a richer interaction among students and between students and professor.

Assessment methods

The final exam consists of an oral exam in which the student will discuss two different topics from the program. The exam will be considered passed if the student has demonstrated sufficient knowledge in both topics. In particular, if the answer is deemed sufficient, each question is evaluated with a variable score between 18 and 30 with honors. The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the topics discussed in the exam combined with their critical use, the demonstration of an expressive mastery and specific language are evaluated with marks of excellence. The mostly mechanical and / or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, the capacity for synthesis and analysis not articulated and / or a correct but not always appropriate language lead to discrete evaluations; training gaps and / or inappropriate language lead to grades that do not exceed sufficiency. Each of the two questions weighs for one half in the calculation of the final grade. Insufficient evaluation of the answer to even one of the two questions makes the test insufficient. 

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

All teaching material will be available on the designated digital platforms (servers) of the University.

In order to prepare for the exam it is suggested to attend actively the lectures, study from a textbook and use both the notes taken during lectures and the material put by the tutor on the server of the University.

Office hours

See the website of Annalisa Bosco

See the website of Matteo Filippini