Neurobiology (BIOL 367) – 4 credits
Spring 2014
Instructor:
Dr. Michelle Vieyra
Phone: (803)641-3608
Meeting Place/ Time:
Office: Science 111b
Email: michellev@usca.edu
Lecture: Science 103, TTh 10:50-12:05
Lab: Science 104, Th 1:40-4:20
Suggested Textbook: Any anatomy & physiology text will cover the basics.
Required Lab Materials: 1) You will need to subscribe to SimUText for the first two labs. You must
subscribe to SimUText before our first lab on Jan 16. I sent everyone an email with registration
instructions. If you did not get this email let me know ASAP. 2) The materials for all BioPac labs are
available on blackboard. You need to print them and bring them with you to those labs.
Course Description and Objectives:
An introduction to the structure and function of the human nervous system to include basic
neuroanatomy and neurophysiology as well as interaction/ cooperation between the nervous and sensory
systems. Emphasis will be placed on cellular processes and communication. The lab will focus on brain
and eye dissection as well as electrophysiological demonstrations and experiments.
Evaluation:
Exams: There will be four lecture exams throughout the semester as noted on the calendar. They will
only cover the material given since the previous exam and be worth 100 points each. Expect a
combination of multiple-choice, fill in the blank/ short answer and matching on each exam.
Final Exam: Open notes but not to be underestimated. Essay exam. 50 points.
Research Reviews/ Research Participation: There will be many opportunities throughout the semester
to write reviews of movies or news/ journal articles or participate in real neuroscience research (see me
for details). Point values for each review will vary but you can earn up to 60 points total (that includes
10 extra credit points). This assignment is not optional and is best to complete early in the semester.
Lab Practical Exams: There will be two lab practical exams worth 60 and 30 points respectively.
These will be given round – robin style and will ask you to identify structures that are pinned on
specimens or models. You cannot make-up lab exams!!!!
Lab Quizzes: There will be four lab quizzes worth 15-25 points. Quizzes will mostly be short answer
and will ask questions from the materials that come with your lab exercises.
Lab Write-ups: There will be 7 lab write-ups worth 10pts each. The bulk of these points will come
from answering the questions that go with the lab but some will come from the quizzes built into the
SimUText system. You must be in lab to receive these points. You cannot make-up lab write-ups!!
Lecture & Lab Calendars:
Date
1-14
1-16
1-21
1-23
1-28
1-30
2-4
2-6
2-11
2-13
2-18
2-20
2-25
2-27
3-4
3-6
3-11
3-13
3-18
3-20
3-25
3-27
4-1
4-3
4-8
4-10
4-15
4-17
4-22
4-24
5-6
Lecture Topic/ Exam
Syllabus, Cellular Transport
Membrane Potential, Intro to NS
Neurons and Glial cells
Neuron Physiology
Synapses
EXAM 1
Neurotransmitters I
Neurotransmitters II
Neurotransmitters III
Brain Development and Intro to brain
Cerebrum I
Cerebrum II
EXAM 2
Rest of Brain I
Rest of Brain II
Spinal cord, PNS – Cranial nerves
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
PNS – Spinal nerves
ANS I
ANS II
EXAM 3
Intro to senses
Touch
Vision I
Vision II
Balance
Hearing
Taste and Smell
EXAM 4
Final Exam – 11AM
Grade Breakdown:
Lecture Exams
Final Exam
Research review/ participation
Lab Practical Exams
Lab Write-ups
Lab Quizzes
Total
Grading Scale:
A
675-750
C
B+
640-674
D+
B
600-639
D
C+
565-599
F
400 pts
50 pts
50 pts
90 pts
70 pts
90 pts
750 pts
525-564
490-524
450-489
Below 450
Lab Topic/ Assignment
-------------------------------------SimUText Diffusion & Osmosis Lab Demos (Write-up)
--------------------------------------SimUText Action Potentials Explored (Write-up)
---------------------------------------Movie Day (can be used for a review paper)
----------------------------------------Quiz 1 (Demo labs – 25pts), BioPac 3 (Write-up)
-----------------------------------------BioPac 4 (Write-up)
----------------------------------------Quiz 2 (BioPac 3 & 4 – 25pts), Brain Dissection 1
----------------------------------------Brain Dissection 2
-----------------------------------------Lab Practical – Brain (60pts)
----------------------------------------SPRING BREAK
----------------------------------------BioPac 14 (Write-up)
----------------------------------------BioPac 9 (Write-up)
----------------------------------------Quiz 3 (BioPac 14 & 9 – 25pts), BioPac 20 (Write-up)
-----------------------------------------Quiz 4 (BioPac 20 – 15pts), Eye Dissection & Ear
----------------------------------------Lab Practical – Eyes & Ears (30pts)
----------------------------------------Movie day (can be used for a review paper)
-----------------------------------------
Attendance/ Late/ Absence Policy:
I do not take role on a daily basis so there is no official attendance policy. There will be certain lab
assignments however that cannot be made up. Also, your grade on exams will likely be negatively
affected by missing lecture material. Please make every effort to come to class daily and on time.
Exams and quizzes will be given at the beginning of every class. If you are late beginning a lecture
exam you will be given until the amount of time allotted to the rest of the class has elapsed. Being late
to a lab practical will result in you receiving a zero for the stations you miss.
If you are legitimately absent for a lecture exam I must be contacted within 24 hours of the missed exam
with a viable excuse. You must schedule and make-up the missed lecture exam within one week (i.e. if
you miss an exam on Tuesday you must make it up sometime before class meets on the following
Tuesday).
Be responsible and courteous to your classmates!
Be prepared for labs by making sure you can open SimUText modules before class and printing out and
bringing Biopac handouts with you when you are supposed to. If you have issues/ problems please
email/ see me before class not during class. I do not appreciate wasting class time waiting for you to
print out stuff down the hall or trouble shooting your computer issues. Also, when doing dissection/
studying the brains and eyes please clean your dissection pan and instruments and put the brains and
eyes away. Just because the anatomy kids are slobs doesn’t mean you have to be.
Additional Comments:
If you have questions or need help with anything in this course please email me and set up an appointment to meet
with me.
You are expected to follow the honor pledge on every assignment:
“On my honor as a University of South Carolina at Aiken student, I have neither given nor received any
unauthorized aid on the assignment/examination. To the best of my knowledge, I am not in violation of academic
dishonesty.” This includes plagiarism which will be covered in more detail when I assign papers. Violation of the
honor code will result in a grade decrease and letter to the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.
If you have a physical, psychological and/or learning disability which might affect your performance in this
course please contact the Office of Disability Services, 126A B&E, (803)641-3609 as soon as possible.
From the USCA student handbook: “It is the instructor’s right to remove from the classroom any student who disrupts or
disturbs the proceeding of the class. Disruption of the class includes but is not limited to the use of any portable electronic
devices, including cell phones, MP3 players; iPods, etc. unless prior approval has been given to a student or unless required
for the course. In extreme cases the faculty member can request assistance from University Police. If the student who has
been ejected causes similar disturbances in subsequent meetings of the class, he/she may be denied admittance to the class for
the remainder of the semester and assigned a grade of F.”
What this means for this class: I encourage you to take notes on your tablets and laptops if you wish but please do
not visit disruptive and distracting websites during class. While I may not notice cell phone use while I am
lecturing, IF I SEE A CELL PHONE IN YOUR HAND DURING AN EXAM I WILL GIVE YOU
A ZERO – NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!!