Intro. to Neuroscience: Behavioral Neuroscience (2015-2016)
Lecturers: Prof. Nachum Ulanovsky, Dr. Tali Kimchi, Prof. Rony Paz
Time: The 2nd semester of 2015-2016. Meetings take place on Wednesdays, from 11:15 - 14:00, FGS room C (unless indicated otherwise).
This course will introduce students to Behavioral Neuroscience, first by providing an in-depth introduction to behavior, and then focusing on two different approaches that are common in the field: One approach ("neuropsychological") is to study animals in artificial well-controlled tasks, the other ("neuroethological") approach utilizes the animal's natural behaviors. We will introduce general aspects, and will contrast and compare these two approaches by focusing on several well-studied, classic example systems.
Part A: Introduction to Brain and Behavior (Kimchi) | |
---|---|
1. | Introduction to Behavior. (16/3/2016) |
2. | Hormonal mechanisms of behavior. Sexual behaviors and their neural mechanisms. (23/3/2016) |
3. | Animal models of social disorders. (30/3/2016) |
Part B: Neural mechanisms of Behavior – the Neuroethological approach (Ulanovsky) | |
4. | Sensory ecology: evolutionary adaptations of animal sensory systems to their environment. (Thursday 14/4/2016 at 11:15 - 14:00, at Schmidt lecture hall -- Note unusual day & unusual location) [PDF] |
5. | Basic concepts: neuroscience and neuroethology. Choosing the right behavior and the right animal model. Example system #1: Introduction to Electrolocation. (20/4/2016) [PDF] |
6. | Example system #2: Multisensory integration in the brain of the barn owl. (Guest lecture by Dr. Yoram Gutfreund, Technion) (4/5/2016) [PDF] |
7. | Example system #3: The bird song system: behavior, neuroanatomy, physiology, models. (Guest lecture by Dr. Liora Las, Weizmann Institute) (18/5/2016) [PDF] [Songs] |
8. | Example system #4: Echolocation in bats: behavior, principles of biosonar signal design, neural processing. (25/5/2016) [PDF] [Movies] |
9. | Example system #5: Neurobiology of spatial cognition. Introduction to spatial memory, orientation and navigation: (i) Navigational strategies in different animals. (ii) Sensory mechanisms of navigation: vision, magnetic navigation, etc. The navigation circuits in the mammalian brain: Place cells, grid cells, head-direction cells. (1/6/2016) [PDF] [Movies] |
Part C: Neural mechanisms of Behavior – the Neuropsychological approach (Paz) | |
10. | Introduction: Basic concepts, standard behavioral tasks. Example system #6: Fear and its representation in neural circuits. (Guest lecture by Dr. Aryeh Taub, Weizmann Institute) (8/6/2016) [PDF] |
11. | Example system #7: Reinforcement Learning. Reward and its representation in neural circuits. (Guest lecture by Dr. Genela Morris, Haifa University) (15/6/2016) [PDF] |
12. | Psychophysics: (i) Basic concepts, how to measure JND’s, signal detection theory and ROC. (ii) Visual psychophysics. (iii) Other senses. (Guest lecture by: Prof. Dubi Sagi, Weizmann Institute) [22/6/2016] [PDF] |
Course requirements: Final exam.
Bibliography
We will use three main textbooks in this course:
- Behavioral Neurobiology, An integrative approach, 2nd ed., Zupanc G. (Oxford, 2010)
- Behavioral Neurobiology, Carew J. (Sinauer, 2000)
- Learning and Behavior, Bouton M. (Sinauer, 2007)
Additional material for some of the lectures is covered in the following books:
- Sensory Ecology, Dusenbery D. (Freeman, 1992)
- An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology, 4th ed., Nelson R. (Sinauer, 2011)
- Neuroeconomics: Decision making and the Brain, 2nd ed., Glimcher P. and Fehr E. (Academic Press, 2013)
- Neural nets in Electric Fish, Heiligenberg W. (MIT Press, 1991).