Global Arc

A crucial part of neuroscience is understanding how function has its foundation in anatomy. This course traces neuroanatomical pathways through the central nervous system. It emphasizes the primate brain, especially the human brain. The course covers how nuclei, ganglia, and layered structures such as cortex are arranged physically in the brain, the fiber pathways by which they connect to each other, and how this connectivity relates to their function. The material will encompass systems within the brain stem, sensory systems, motor systems, higher cognitive systems, and the interconnectivity and interaction of these systems.

An intensive introduction to fundamental topics in neuroscience, including neuronal excitability, synaptic physiology, neural networks, and circuits that mediate perception, action, emotion, and memory. We will examine neuroscience at scales ranging from single neurons, to the activity of small sets of neurons, to the organization of brain and behavior. The course will address broad questions including: How does information enter the brain? What neural pathways transmit these signals? How is information processed and used to construct an internal model of reality? How does the brain choose and execute the correct behavioral response?

Cognitive neuroscience is a young and exciting field with many questions yet to be answered. This course surveys current knowledge about the neural basis of perception, cognition and action and will comprehensively cover topics such as high-level vision, attention, memory, language, decision making, as well as their typical and atypical development. Precepts will discuss the assigned research articles, pertaining to topics covered in class with an emphasis on developing critical reading skills of scientific literature. NEU 201/PSY 258 does not need to be taken before this course.

The Neuroscience Research Experience is designed to provide sophomore students with an in-lab research experience. NEU250 is intended to be a credit-bearing grade optional P/D/F course. Students will gain research experience in the laboratory of a faculty member in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute. Students are expected to spend 10 hours per week engaged in research as outlined by the mentoring faculty. Students are also expected to attend weekly research meetings and read research papers. At the end of the semester, students will present their findings to the faculty member and research group.

This course will focus on understanding how neurons and the molecules they express contribute to brain function. Topics covered will include the structure and electrical properties of neurons, cell fate decisions, synapse formation and plasticity, neuromodulation, and the function of simple neural circuits. We will also discuss molecular and genetic tools for interrogating the nervous system. Examples will be drawn from studies of sensory system development and function in animals amenable to molecular and cellular level investigation. Students will have the opportunity to read and discuss primary literature throughout the course.

This lecture course will introduce students to the mathematical and computational tools necessary to work with data sets in neuroscience. A primary goal of the course will be to introduce students to key concepts from linear algebra, probability and statistics, and machine learning, with an emphasis on practical implementations via programming. Lectures on each topic will develop relevant mathematical background, derivation of basic results, and examples of applications. The course will include problem sets requiring programming in Python. No prior programming experience is required, though it will certainly be helpful.

This course will provide an introduction to the scientific study of sensation and perception, the biological and psychological processes by which we perceive and interpret the world around us. We will undertake a detailed study of the major senses (vision, audition, touch, smell, taste), using insights from a variety of disciplines (philosophy, physics, computer science, neuroscience, psychology) to examine how these senses work and why. We will begin with physical bases for perceptual information (e.g., light, sound waves) and proceed to an investigation of the structures, circuits, and mechanisms by which the brain forms sensory percepts.

A fundamental goal of cognitive neuroscience is to understand how psychological functions such as attention, memory, language, and decision making arise from computations performed by assemblies of neurons in the brain. This course will provide an introduction to the use of connectionist models (also known as neural network or parallel distributed processing models) as a tool for exploring how psychological functions are implemented in the brain, and how they go awry in patients with brain damage. Prerequisite: instructor's permission. Two 90-minute lectures, one laboratory.

Much of what we know about the brain systems underlying perception, attention, memory, and language has been first derived from patients with brain lesions or other brain pathology. Despite our advances in functional brain imaging the study of clinical cases in neuropsychology is still important to determine the causal role of certain brain regions in contributing to a given cognitive process. Prerequisite: an introductory neuroscience course such as NEU 201 or NEU 202. This course is aimed at students with an interest in clinical psychology, pre-med, and Neuroscience majors with an interest in clinical applications.

This course introduces undergraduate students to modern methods of analysis applied to the activity of single neurons, the synaptic connections between neurons, and the dynamics of networks of neurons underlying learning and decision-making. Methods include intracellular and extracellular recording of neural activity at scales from single to hundreds of neurons; the application of optogenetic approaches to manipulate neuronal function and behavior; and noninvasive measurement of human cognitive information processing using EEG and fMRI. The capstone of the course is a 2-week independent research project designed and carried out by students.