Neuroscience 0080 (23339), Spring 2012
Tuesdays 6:00pm
– 8:30pm
216 Cathedral of Learning
Instructor:
Telephone:
Email:
Dr. Nicole Edgar
412-624-5519 nie2@pitt.edu
(preferred method of contact)
Office hours: By appointment - please email me to arrange meetings.
Course Web Site: http://courseweb.pitt.edu
Log in, then click on the link to this course under “My courses.” Weekly quizzes will be administered online through CourseWeb. Also check regularly for announcements, lecture notes, and exam information.
Textbook: Recommended but not required.
An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, 3rd ed. Kolb, B. & Whishaw, I. Worth:
New York, 2011.
The text is available through the bookstore and an online or downloadable version of the text is available with a subscription (180 days for $69.95) at http://www.CourseSmart.com
Course Description: The goal of this course is to provide a broad overview of the relationship between brain function and behavior. The course examines topics including basic brain anatomy and function, how we perceive the world around us, and what underlies complex behaviors such as emotion and learning.
Lectures will also focus on a discussion of how brain function and behavior are altered through either injury (such as stroke) or disorder (such as schizophrenia), and what this has taught us about normal brain function. By the end of this course students should be able to evaluate claims made about brain research and function, and have a richer understanding of how people behave the way they do.
Class Format: The general format of the class will be lecture style. However, I strongly encourage you to ask questions at any time about material that you do not understand. If you have questions you prefer not to ask in class, feel free to see me after class or email me.
I will schedule in at least 1 ten-minute break during each class period, approximately halfway through the class.
A note about classroom etiquette: please turn off and put away all cell phones/smart phones and ipods during class. If you are seen with one of these items during class I may: 1) ask you to put it away, 2) ask you to leave the classroom, 3) if during an EXAM: collect your exam and take action based on academic integrity violations.

Course Requirements:
Quizzes: Each week a quiz will be administered online through CourseWeb, which you will have until the following Sunday at midnight to complete. These are designed to encourage you to attend class, to pay attention, and to assess your comprehension of the material. There will be a total of 12 quizzes. Your quiz grade will be based on the average of your scores, dropping the two lowest scores. If you miss a quiz, that quiz will be counted as a 0; you may NOT make up a quiz, regardless of the reason.
Exams: Exams will be a combination of multiple choice, matching, fill-in-theblank, and short answer questions. All material covered in lecture is considered testable material, unless indicated by the instructor. Review questions for each exam will be posted on CourseWeb to help you prepare.
NOTE: CGS courses continue through finals week, so your last exam will be during finals week at the normal course meeting time. If you have a conflict with another scheduled final exam please let me know NO LATER than Tuesday,
April 10th in order to arrange an EARLIER exam date/time.
Grading: Your final grade will be calculated from your scores on the quizzes and exams. The proportion each will contribute to your final grade is as follows:
Quizzes - 25 %
Exams - 75% (25 % per test)
Letter
Grade
Grading Scale
Percentage Range Letter Grade Percentage
Range
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
98.0-100
93.0-97.9
90.0-92.9
88.0-89.9
83.0-87.9
80-82.9
C+
C
C-
D
F
78.0-79.9
72.0-77.9
70.0-71.9
60.0-69.9
Below 60

Academic Integrity:
Please see the College of General Studies web page for details on academic integrity: www.cgs.pitt.edu
Disabilities and Special Needs:
If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact both your instructor and
Disability Resources and Services, 216 William Pitt Union, 412-648-7890 or 412-
383-7355 (TTY) as early as possible in the term. Please go to the Student Affairs website at http://www.drs.pitt.edu/ for more information.
Course Schedule
Note that the chapters provided below refer to textbook readings that will help you to understand and integrate the lecture material. However, much of the suggested reading includes information that I won’t have time to cover in class, or material that may come up only in later lectures. You will ONLY be tested on material I present in class.
Lectures will be posted on CourseWeb at least 24 hours prior to each class.
Lecture Date Topic
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
January
10
17
24
14
21
28
Introduction and background
Anatomy of the brain
Cells of the nervous system
Cell structure and neurotransmission
Neural communication
31
Brain development
Humans and animals in research
February 7 Exam 1
Vision
The auditory system and language
Olfaction and gustation
Somatosensation and movement
Motivation and emotion
Circadian rythyms and sleep
Suggested
Reading
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 & 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 7
Chapter 6
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 12
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13

11
12
8
9
10
March 6
NO CLASS – Spring Break
13
20
27
Learning and memory
Exam 2
Cognition
April 3 Drugs and behavior
10
17
24
Neurological disorders
Psychiatric disorders
Exam 3
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 8
Chapter 16
Chapter 16