Neuroscience & Behavior, Psychology 275
Neuroanatomy
Spring, 2005
Harry Sinnamon
Meetings: Lectures: Tuesday and Thursday, 1:10 to 2:30am, Judd 113
Review Sections: Judd 113, Times to be announced;
Instructor:
Harry Sinnamon, 403 Judd, Tu & Th, 3:00-4:30pm, X2955
Textbook to purchase:
Gilman, S. and S. W. Newman. Manter and Gatz’s Essentials of Clinical
Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology. Edition 10. F. A. Davis. 2002.
Goals of the Course:
This course will present an intensive introduction to the anatomy of the brain. It will
expose you to the major structures of the brain and to the functional connections between them.
The principal goal is to establish an anatomical framework on which you can add additional
information about structure and function in later neuroscience courses. The material will be
presented in a functional context but the emphasis will be on the anatomy.
You probably will find this course to be quite different from your other courses. The course
will rely heavily on the memorization of facts and there is an expectation for active learning on the
part of the student. The role of the instructor is partly to lecture and explain, but mostly it is to
setup conditions for you to teach yourself. We have collected a substantial number of learning
aides, but none is effective unless you commit the time to them. The payoff for all of this effort is
that you will learn neuroanatomy in a way that will be useful for the rest of your career.
The instructional materials:
We will use several types of instructional materials most of which are available on line.
Brainiac is a computer program that will be used extensively. It has excellent graphic quality and
is very effective for drilling identifications. We will use it in class, and you will find it on networked
computers around campus. You can buy a personal copy on line. Other programs will be used
only in class.
The Slice of Brain is a series of still images and video files that show interesting
anatomical and clinical subjects. They are available online.
The Somso brain models are plastic dissectable brains. They are particularly useful in the
early stages of learning when you need to understand three-dimensional relationships. We will
use them during class.
The Watson atlas images will be used extensively. They will represent most of the
material to be tested. They are available online.
Leonart Heimer is a neuroanatomist who has videotaped the dissections that he uses at
the University of Virginia medical school. We will use these tapes in class and you can review
them online.
The Jones slides show basic neuroanatomical methods and cellular structure. We will
discuss them in class, and you can view them online.
Background required:
A basic course in brain and behavior is required. NS&B 213, Psyc 240, and Psyc/NS&B
255 are examples of such courses.
Review Meetings:
There will be an evening review session before each test.
Grading:
Grading will be based on 3 in-class tests, one presentation/paper, and one final
comprehensive examination. The weightings are: Test 1 (15%), Test 2 (10%), Test 3 (25%),
Paper/Presentation (25%), and Final Test (25%). The tests will partly involve the presentation of
slides to the class as a group. It is impossible to recreate the test conditions, so makeup tests
present great difficulties. If you miss a test because of a medical problem, be prepared to
provide documentation from your health care provider. If you miss a test because of a personal
problem, have your Dean contact me. Do not miss the tests.
The comprehensive final examination will be weighted at 25 % and will be given during
examination week. The anatomy identifications on the final will be restricted to those covered in
the in-class tests. You should keep your copies of the in-class test answer forms with the
corrected answers as an aid for study in the final. There also will be questions based on the
student presentations.
Presentation/Paper:
The last two weeks of class will be student presentations of neuroanatomical stories. The
presentations will be 30 min expositions of a topic in functional anatomy. The goal will be to
discuss primary literature (approximately 4 papers) showing a behavioral function that can be
understood in terms of structure of the nervous system.
A list of recommended topics is
available online. Students will sign up on a first come, first served basis, so you may want to
reserve your preferred time slot and topic early. A paper, approximately 5 pages in length,
covering the same material will be due at the end of reading week. The oral and written
presentations will combine equally for 25 % of the final grade.
Neuroscience & Behavior 275 / Psychology 275 Neuroanatomy
Spring, 2005
Harry Sinnamon
Schedule of Class Meetings, Topics and Assignments
Skim the assigned text material before the class. Study guides will be distributed in class.
1. 20 Jan
Part 1: Basic & Gross Anatomy, Spinal Cord and Brainstem
Introduction to the instructional materials
Jones Slides: Neurons and Synapses
2. 25 Jan
Gross and Cellular Anatomy
Brain models
Heimer tape 3
Gilman & Newman Chap 1
3. 27 Jan
Gross and Cellular Anatomy
Brain models
Heimer tape 4
Gilman & Newman Chap 1
4. 01 Feb
Gross anatomy and Peripheral nervous system
Brain models
Brainiac Gyri and Sulci
Heimer tape 5,9
5. 03 Feb
Spinal Cord
Gilman & Newman Chap 3,4
Watson pp. 8-9, 13-15
Braniac, Pal-Weigert cord series
6. 08 Feb
Spinal Tracts: Ascending
Gilman & Newman Chap 6,7
Watson, 19-26
Braniac, Pal-Weigert cord series
7. 10 Feb
Spinal Tracts: Descending
Gilman & Newman Chap 8
Watson, pp. 44-46, 50-52
Braniac, Pal-Weigert cord series
8. 15 Feb
TEST 1 (15 %) Test will cover Gross and the Spinal Cord
9. 17 feb
Anatomy of Brainstem
Medulla and Cranial nerves
Brainiac, Pal-Weigert, brainstem series
Gilman & Newman Chap 10, 11
10. 22 feb
Pons, Midbrain and Cranial nerves
Brainiac, brainstem series
Gilman & Newman Chap 12, 14, 15
Watson, pp. 36-39
11. 24 feb
Brainstem and Autonomic nervous system
Brainiac, brainstem series
Gilman & Newman Chap 5
12. 01 mar
Watson, pp. 7-8, 46-49
Brainstem & Cranial nerves summary
13. 03 mar
TEST 2 (10 %) Test will cover the Brainstem
14. 22 mar
Part 2: Higher motor systems, Cortex & Limbic System
Overview of Higher Motor Systems
Heimer tape 11
Cerebellum
Gilman & Newman Chap 16
Watson, pp. 52-62
15. 24 mar
Basal ganglia
Heimer tape 10
Brainiac, horizontal and frontal sections, Pal-Weigert
Basal Ganglia Demo: Circuitry
Gilman & Newman Chap 17
16. 29 mar
Basal ganglia & Thalamus
Brainiac, horizontal and frontal sections
Gilman & Newman Chap 17
Basal Ganglia Circuitry
17. 31 mar
Motor Disorders
Basal Ganglia Demo: Pathology
Parkinsonism
Huntington's Disease
Neurological assessment (Head to Toe, Pathological cases)
18. 05 apr
Visual Pathways
Gilman & Newman Chap 18, 19
Watson, 31-35
19. 07 apr
Cortex: General Organization
Brainiac Sulci & Gyri
Gilman & Newman Chap 20
Eye Movement
Watson, 41-44
20. 12 apr
Hypothalamus and limbic system
Gilman & Newman Chap 21, 22
Basal Ganglia and Limbic System Compared
Chemical neuroanatomy
Gilman & Newman, Chap 23
21. 14 apr
review
22. 19 apr
TEST 2 (25 %)
23. 21 apr
24. 26 apr
Part 3. Neuroanatomical Stories, Student Presentations
Student Presentations
Test will cover Part 2
25. 28 apr
Student Presentations
26. 03 may
Student Presentations
Final Examination (25 %) TBA
Test will be comprehensive and include presentation material
Presentation paper (1/2 of presentation grade) Due May 9, HMS mailbox, 5pm