Thematic
Freely chosen elective course:
Department:
Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology
Title of subject:
Selected problems of the neural control: Modelling of single neurons and neural networks
Course description: Several specific single neuron and neural network models for the investigation of neural control will be described through direct neurobiological examples. Analysis of the dendritic impulse propagation, synaptic integration and the non-linear summation of postsynaptic potentials will be given at the level of single neurons and a number of aspects of the motor control in a central pattern generator will be discussed. The course will be an introduction to modelling in general, and will describe the place and role of modelling in the acquisition of scientific knowledge. The course will also offer an overview of the various neuron models and describe the theoretical basis of them.
Announced for students in years: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th year
Semester: 2nd semester
No. of lessons: 12 hours (6X2)
Credit points:
Coordinator: Ervin Wolf, M.Sc., Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Instructors: Ervin Wolf, M.Sc., Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Conditions for acceptance: minimum number of participants: 5
Topics:
- Role of modelling in acquisition of scientific knowledge, fundamental neuron models.
- Case study: analysis of synaptic efficiency and dendritic impulse propagation in spinal motoneurons.
- Case study: motor control at the level of motoneurons, analysis of propriospinal connections of spinal motoneurons.
- Case study: Analysis of the rostro-caudal distribution of synaptic drive to motoneurons in the tadpole during swimming.
- Case study: Control of swimming frequency in the central pattern generator.
- Case study: rostro-caudal, bilateral and intrasegmental coordination during swimming; why the tadpole swims forward and not backward.