Neuroscience Laboratory: CBNS/PSYC 120L
CBNS/PSYC 120L, Winter
Laboratory Sections: LSP 1427; W 8:10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.; W 1:10 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., 2 credits
Prof. Scott Currie, Office: Spieth 2380, Tel: 827-2411 [Currie webpage]
T.A.s : TBD
Prof. Glenn Stanley, Office: 2111B Psychology, Tel: 827-5244 [Stanley webpage]
T.A.s : TBD
No Textbook, however, there will be handouts for each laboratory and a package of reference articles (for background information in writing reports) will be available on iLearn under "Course Materials."
DATE |
PROF |
TOPIC |
| Week 1 | Currie | Electrophysiological equipment and its use |
| Weeks 2-3 | Currie | Tactile receptors on the insect leg |
| Weeks 4-5 | Currie | Intracellular recording of resting potentials in crayfish muscle fibers |
| Weeks 6-7 | Currie |
Adrenergic control of fish melanophores |
| Weeks 8-10 | Stanley | Neural control of complex behavior: rat feeding |
Our goal is to teach students common techniques used to (1) record bioelectric activity, (2) acquire and analyze physiological recordings and microscopic images on a computer, (3) monitor and quantify animal behavior and (4) to interpret their data intelligently. Each project will require new dissection skills and new recording methods, so the series of projects will permit students to learn to handle different kinds of electrodes, amplifiers, microscopes and manipulators.
Written reports of each project are due from each student on the first day of the next project. More specific instructions about these reports will be given during the second week. The instructors will read and edit each report to help students to learn to write effectively. A quiz will be given at the start of each new experiment during Currie’s portion of the course. Quizes will cover the handout reading. Grades will be based on written reports, participation in the experiments and quizes.