Courses in Systems, Cognitive, and Computational Neuroscience
at Johns Hopkins

There are a number of courses affiliated with the Mind/Brain Institute taught at Hopkins. The courses listed here are those taught by investigators from the Mind/Brain Institute, and other courses closely tied to The Mind/Brain Institute, and its focus.

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080.101	Topics in Neuroscience
Hendry
A general introduction to the field of neuroscience. Topics range from the cellular level to systems and clinical applications. Suggested but not required for the neuroscience major.
Prerequisites: Freshman standing or Behavioral Science major with permission of instructor.
	2 Credits
http://www.mb.jhu.edu/tins.asp

080.203	Cognitive Neuroscience
McCloskey, Rapp
A survey of theory and research concerning how mental processes are carried out by the human brain. Currently a wide range of methods for probing the functioning brain are yielding insights into the nature of the relation between mental and neural events. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of both the physiological bases of the techniques and the issues involved in relating measures of the brain activity to cognitive functioning. Methods surveyed include electrophysiological recording techniques such as EEG, VEP, ERP, single/multiple unit recording, and MEG; functional imaging techniques such as PET and MRI; and methods that involve lesioning or disrupting neural activity such as WADA, cortical stimulation, animal lesion studies, and the study of brain-damaged individuals.
No pre-requisites. Co-listed as 050.203 Cognitive Neuroscience: Exploring the Living Brain
T,W 2:30-4:00	3 Credits

080.205	Systems Neuroscience
Gallagher
A study of neural circuits that mediate behavioral responses. This requires both a consideration of sensory inputs to the brain and the outputs to various effector systems. Specific topics include learning and memory, eating and drinking, biological timing, aggression, communication, reproductive behavior, and other social behaviors. Most examples are drawn from vertebrate species, but invertebrates are discussed on occasion. Both the development of these neural systems and their possible modulation by endogenous (e.g., hormones) and exogenous factors are also considered as appropriate.
	3 Credits

080.450	Introduction to Computational Neuroscience
Niebur
This course introduces students to quantitative modeling techniques for the study of nervous systems. Topics include computation in neurons and networks, representation and coding of neuronal information, learning and memory.
Prerequisites: Junior, Senior, or Graduate Student standing. Elementary knowledge of linear algebra and differential equations, at the level of 550.291.
W 2-4:00p	3 Credits

080.304	Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Fambrough
A survey of the mechanism through which the nervous system receives sensory signals, transmits signals from the neuron to neuron, and drives the activity of target tissues such as glands and muscles. Topics include the molecular basis of the action potential, effect of cell shapes and myelination on conduction of action potential, mechanisms regulating neurotransmitter release, structure and function of neurotransmitter receptors, modulation of neuronal functions, sensory transduction, and muscle contraction. The molecular basis of genetic disorder involving nerve and muscle function will also be studied.
Prerequisite 020.305 Biochemistry. Co-requisite: 020.306 Cell Biology.
	3 Credits

080.310	Developmental Neurobiology
Fambrough, Hendry, Kirkwood, Norris
An upper-level course focused on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying nervous system development. Topics include the specification of neural tissues, genesis and differentiation of individual neurons, extension of axons and axon guidance, formation of synaptic connections, maturation of neuronal circuits, and plasticity of neuronal circuits in the adult nervous system. The format of the course will be a mix of lectures and discussions of papers. Reading will include selected articles from the recent literature.
Prerequisite: 080.304 or permission of instructors. Co-listed as Biology 020.310
	3 Credits

080.411-414	Advanced Seminar in Neuroscience
Yoshioka
All students in the BA/MS Neuroscience program participate in this weekly seminar during their last two years, including the research year. The seminar involves student presentations of research, presentations by guest speakers, and discussion of readings on topics of current interest in the field. Students register for 080.411-412 during the Fall and Spring semesters of the fourth year and 080.413-414 during Fall and Spring semesters of the fifth year.
	3 Credits

080.511-590	Independent Study
Staff
Credit can be earned for independent study in the field of Neuroscience. Course requirements and credit hours are negotiated with faculty sponsor. You must submit an Undergraduate Research/Independent Study/Internship Supplement Registration Form (available from Registrar) when you register or add the course which has been signed by you and your sponsor. All students: 511 (Fall), 512 (Spring), 590 (Summer)
	Negotiable

080.531-598	Research in Neuroscience
Staff
Credit can be received for participation in neuroscience research. Individual research projects are negotiated with a faculty sponsor. You must submit an Undergraduate Research/Independent Study/Internship Supplement Registration Form (available from Registrar) when you register or add the course which has been signed by you and your sponsor. A 4-5 page research summary is required each semester. Freshmen: 531 (Fall), 534 (Spring) 592 (summer) Sophomore: 541 (Fall), 544 (spring) 594 (summer) Junior: 551 (Fall), 554 (spring) 596 (summer) Senior: 561 (Fall), 564 (spring) 598 (summer)
	1 credit per 4-5hrs of laboratory work per week.

080.631	Bodian Seminar Series
von der Heydt
A weekly seminar located in the Krieger Mind/Brain Institute. The seminar is devoted to issues concerning systems neuroscience. Invited speakers come from all over the world to discuss their research. This course meets once a week for the entire year.
Prerequisites: Graduate student or senior standing and permission from the instructor
	1 credit

080.650-652	Mentored Research in Neuroscience
Staff
BA/MS Neuroscience students register for mentored research for three terms (typically the spring and summer terms of the fourth year and the fall term of the fifth year). They receive 9 credit hours per semester for research during the fall and spring semesters, and 6 credit hours for the summer. Satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

080.810-811	Readings in Systems Neuroscience
Niebur, Connor
This is a graduate-level seminar series on current literature in systems neuroscience. It also serves as a discussion group/journal club for students and faculty at the Krieger Mind/Brain Institute, and is open to the wider systems/cognitive neuroscience community at Homewood and other Hopkins campuses. Each week, a student or faculty member will present a recent article selected in consultation with the course directors. The selected readings will focus on the neural mechanisms of perception, attention, motor behavior, learning and memory.
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

ME440.704	Physiology of the Central Nervous System
Hsiao and Staff
A lecture and paper reading course covering original scientific literature related to systems neuroscience. The course includes topics such as neurophysiological methods, neural coding of shape and motion, mechanisms of attention, representation of speech, neural substrates of memory, emotion, and sleep and consciousness.
Prerequisites: Neuroscience A (Medical school) or permission of instructor

ME440.807	Topics in Somatosensory Research
Hsiao, Johnson
A graduate seminar and reading course devoted to current research into information processing in the somatosensory system. This course covers a variety of topics such as the neural coding of two and three dimensional size and shape, texture processing, plasticity of the central nervous system, mechanisms and effects of selective attention, learning and memory in the somatosensory system, cross-modal processing, and neural imaging studies.
Prerequisites: Neuroscience A (medical school) or permission instructor.

ME440.809	Primate Vision
Hendry, Connor
The primate (human and non-human) visual system is a more sophisticated image analyzer than the most advanced computer vision system. It excels at recognizing objects, reconstructing space, analyzing movement, and discriminating colors and textures. The neural mechanisms underlying these abilities are studied by a large fraction of the systems neuroscience community. This research has generated a rapidly evolving field of high-profile discoveries and lively debates between competing laboratories. Our course aims to convey a clear sense of this field by focusing on experimental and philosophical controversies regarding organization and function in the retina, thalamus and visual cortex. The first session of each week will be a background lecture on data, concepts and competing theories. The second session, a discussion of recently published studies, will take the form of a student-directed debate over the relative merits of conflicting viewpoints.