BIONB 4970 - [The Brain - Its Evolution and Development]

Fall. 3 credits. S-U or letter grade option.

Prerequisite: BIONB 2220 or equivalent. Offered alternate years. Next offered 2013-2014. Intended for juniors, seniors, and graduate students. Limited to 50 students.

A. H. Bass.

How does the brain evolve? One of the fastest-growing areas of study in neuroscience is the evolution of developmental mechanisms that have shaped the remarkable diversity in brain organization observed among vertebrates. This lecture course will consider the evolutionary and developmental origins (“evo-devo”) of vertebrate brains from phylogenetic, molecular, anatomical, physiological, and behavioral perspectives. Topics include the evo-devo of brain regions such as the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem; sensory systems ranging from olfaction to vision and hearing; motor systems for posture, locomotion and speech; and mechanisms of social and sexual plasticity.