Course program
Anatomical organization of the nervous system. The central nervous system: brain and spinal cord. Protection systems of the central nervous system. The peripheral nervous system.
Neuronal signaling. Synaptic transmission. Chemical and electrical synapses. Postsynaptic potentials. Neurotransmitter receptors. Neurotransmitters. Acetylcholine. Neuromuscular junction. Glutamate. GABA. Glycine. Dopamine. Noradrenaline. Adrenaline. Histamine. Serotonin. Purines. Neuropeptides. Unconventional neurotransmitters.
Neural circuits. Reticular theory and neuron doctrine. Diversity of neuronal morphology. Integration of synaptic signals. Plasticity of the central nervous system. Short-term and long-term synaptic plasticity. Activity-dependent transcription: CREB, Fos. Hippocampal LTP and LTD. Cerebellar LTD.
The origins of neuroscience and modern neuroscience. The structure-function relationship in the central nervous system: brain and behavior. Methods of investigation of the nervous system and model organisms.
Memory systems. Patient HM. Declarative and non-declarative memory. Short-term and long-term memory. Stages of memory. Habituation. Sensitization. Conditioning. Neural correlates of declarative and non-declarative memory. Molecular mechanisms of learning and memory. LTP and memory.
Motor control. Hierarchical organization of the motor system. Motor unit. Motor pool. Reflexes. Rhythmic movements. Overview of the role of brainstem, motor cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum. Movement disorders. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Upper motor neuron syndrome. Huntington's disease. Ataxias. CNS pathologies. Alzheimer's disease. Intellectual disability. Autism spectrum disorders. Fragile X syndrome.
Sleep. Sleep stages. Neural control of sleep. Functions of sleep. Sleep disorders.
Emotions. Physiological theories. Role of the ANS, somatic motor system, and limbic system. Fear, anxiety, and stress.
Literature search. How to choose a reliable source. The publication process of scientific articles.
Prerequisites
This course requires good knowledge of the cellular and electrical properties of neurons, as well as bases of molecular biology, as acquired in previous courses. It is also advisable to have a good knowledge of english, in order to read independently an original scientific research article.
Books
For in-depth study and review of the topics covered in the lectures, the following textbook is recommended:
- Neuroscience (5th American Edition), edited by Purves, Augustine, Fitzpatrick, Hall, LaMantia, Mooney, Platt, and White.
Alternatively, the following textbooks are recommended:
- Principles of Neural Science (6th American Edition), edited by Kandel, Koester, Mack, and Siegelbaum
Additional teaching materials, including lecture notes, will be available on the course webpage on Sapienza's e-learning site.
https://elearning.uniroma1.it
(Scienze matematiche, fisiche e naturali / Biologia / Lauree Triennali/ Scienze Biologiche / III Anno II Semestre / Neuroscienze2026)
Teaching mode
The course is organized in lectures and classroom/laboratory exercises.
The total duration of the course is 48 hours, with two lessons per week (2 hours/lesson).
Frequency
Attendance is not mandatory, but strongly recommended. The collaborative group assignment can only be taken by students who have attended at least 60% of the lectures.
Exam mode
The assessment includes a collaborative group assignment, a written exam and an optional oral exam.
The collaborative group assignment aims to develop the students' ability to elaborate a topic independently, collaborate and communicate effectively what they have learned. The written and oral exams aim to verify the level of knowledge and in-depth analysis of the topics covered in the course and the critical thinking skills developed by the student.
The final evaluation will be expressed out of 30 (minimum grade 18/30, maximum grade 30/30 with honors).
- The collaborative group assignment consists of the preparation and oral presentation in class of a group report on a topic related to the syllabus, which will be assigned after the first half of the course. The maximum mark attributed to the group assignment is 4 points, which will be added to those of the written/oral exam. The mid-term assignment is not mandatory, but strongly recommended and can only be taken by students who have attended at least 60% of the lectures.
- The written exam includes 7 open-ended questions. The maximum time allowed to complete the exam is 120 minutes. The maximum mark attributed to each question is 4 points.
- The oral exam can be requested by the student to improve the grade obtained in the written exam and can lead to an increase (or decrease) of up to 3 points, compared to the sum of the written exam score and the collaborative group assignment score. The minimum score to be admitted to the oral exam is 25/30 (sum of the written exam score and the mid-term assignment score). The oral exam is mandatory for those who do not take the collaborative group assignment and can lead to an increase (or decrease) of up to 4 points compared to the written exam score. Students who have not taken the collaborative group assignment must have achieved at least 18/30 in the written exam to be eligible for the oral exam.
To achieve a score of 30/30 cum laude, the student must demonstrate excellent knowledge of all the topics covered during the course.
Bibliography
Lecture notes and supplementary readings (in english) will be available on the course page on Sapienza's elearning website:
https://elearning.uniroma1.it
(Scienze matematiche, fisiche e naturali / Biologia / Lauree Triennali/ Scienze Biologiche / III Anno II Semestre / Neuroscienze2023)
Lesson mode
The course includes lectures and in-class discussion of articles from the literature.
The total duration of the course is 48 hours, with two lessons per week (2 hours/lesson).
