School of Arts and Sciences

BBB Courses

BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF BEHAVIOR
(AS) {BIBB}

Note that some course numbers have been changed to reflect course content.

020. Lateralization of Sensation and Emotion: Do we really have two brains?. (A) Doty. Freshman Seminar.
It has long been believed that the two sides of our brains interpret the world
in different ways.  The left hemisphere is commonly viewed as the verbal
hemisphere, whereas the right hemisphere is viewed as the spatial or
orientation hemisphere.  In this class we will explore the history of how such
concepts have come about and examine, in both humans and animals, whether and
how the two sides of the brain diverge in interpreting sensory information.
We will review the classic studies of patients whose connections between the
two hemispheres have been cut to control epilepsy seizures that cannot be
controlled by medication.  We will explore the idea that each hemisphere has a
life of its own, looking at such neurological conditions as the "alien hand
syndrome." Numerous questions will be posed.  For example, do the brains of
left handers differ form those of right handers?  Can the brain explain such
concepts as right = good (e.g., righteousness) and left=bad (e.g., sinister).
Do left or right brain lesions outside of the language areas alter the human
personality?  This seminar should be of particular interest to those students
going into psychology or the medical neurosciences.

040. Sleep: What is it, why do we need it, and how can we get more?. (A) Brooks. Freshman Seminar. Students may not use both BBB 040 and 240 towards BBB major or minor.
Sleep is not unique to humans. All animals, from the mosquito to the cat, switch between phases of sleep and phases of activity. As the brain and
neurologic activity increased in complexity during evolution, so too did sleep. A trait that is conserved through these millions of years clearly has some special importance. In this course, we will explore the development and manifestations of sleep from the simple daily rest triggered by the biological clock in the fly to the complex brain wave changes in higher mammals, especially humans. We will study our own requirements for sleep, and how it changes through the lifespan as we grow, mature, and age. We will study the impact of sleeplessness on daytime performance. We will discuss psychological and medical issues that may impact human sleep, and strategies that we may employ to insure that we get enough good quality sleep to insure that we are performing at our best during wakefulness. The course will likely include demonstrations of hypnosis, and visits to laboratories on campus that study sleep and its effects on performance. Students will be expected to prepare oral and/or written reports that will be used in their evaluation. The target audience will be students interested in biology, neuroscience, psychology, or anyone who would like to improve the quality and quantity of their own sleep.

109. (BIOL219, PSYC109) Introduction to Brain and Behavior. (C) Medina, Muzzio. Living World Sector (All Classes). Course Syllabus, Flanagan-Cato: Honors Section: Course Syllabus
Introduction to the structure and function of the vertebrate nervous system. We begin with the cellular basis of neuronal activities, then discuss the physiological bases of motor control, sensory systems, motivated behaviors, and higher mental processes. This course is intended for students interested in the neurobiology of behavior, ranging from animal behaviors to clinical disorders. Familiarity with elementary physics and chemistry may be helpful.

217. (PSYC117) Visual Neuroscience. (C) Staff. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109, PSYC 001, COGS 001 or VLST 101. Course Syllabus
An introduction to the scientific study of vision, with an emphasis on the biological substrate and its relation to behavior. Topics will typically include physiological optics, transduction of light, visual thresholds, anatomy and physiology of the visual pathways, retinal processing, properties of visual cortex, and color vision. Offered through LPS.

227. (PSYC127) Physiology of Motivated Behaviors. (C) Grill. Gen Req V: May be counted towards the General Requirement in Living World (Class of 2009 and prior). Course Syllabus
The regulatory physiology of motivation will be discussed in detail, including the coordination of behavioral and neural mechanisms in motivation.

231. (BIOL231, PSYC131) Animal Behavior. (C) Gen Req V: May be counted towards the General Requirement in Living World (Class of 2009 and prior). Seyfarth/Cheney, White. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001 or BIOL 102 or BIOL 122. Course Syllabus
The evolution of social behavior in animals, with special emphasis on group formation, cooperation among kin, mating systems, territoriality and communication.

240. Human Chronobiology and Sleep. (B) Dinges. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109. Students may not use both BBB 040 and 240 towards BBB major or minor. Course Syllabus
Topics to be covered include basic principles of chronobiology; neuroscience mechanisms of circadian rhythms and sleep; phylogeny and ontengeny of sleep; human sleep and sleep disorders; circadian dysfunction; circadian and sleep homeostatic influences in human health and safety.

249. (PSYC149) Cognitive Neuroscience. (C) Thompson-Schill, Epstein. Sector V: May be counted towards the Sector Requirement in Living World (Class of 2010 and following). Prerequisite(s): PSYC 001 or BIBB 109. Course Syllabus
The study of the neuronal systems that underlie human perception, memory and language; and of the pathological syndromes that result from damage to these systems.

251. (BIOL251) Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology. (A) Abel/Schmidt. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 101 and 102 or 121; PHYS 102 or 151 strongly recommended. Course Syllabus
Cellular physiology of neurons and excitable cells; molecular neurobiology and development. Topics include: action potential generation; synaptic transmission; molecular and physiological studies of ion channels; second messengers; simple neural circuits; synaptic plasticity; learning and memory; and neural development.

260. Neuroendocrinology. (C) Flanagan-Cato. Prerequisite(s): BBB 109, one year of Introductory Biology, or Permission of Iinstructor. Course Syllabus
This course is designed to examine the various roles played by the nervous and endocrine systems in controlling both physiological processes and behavior. First, the course will build a foundation in the concepts of neural and endocrine system function. Then we will discuss how these mechanisms form the biological underpinnings of various behaviors and their relevant physiological correlates. We will focus on sexual and parental behaviors, aggression and ingestion. The readings will include both textbook chapters and selected journal articles from primary scientific literature.

269. Autonomic Physiology. Formerly Chemistry of the Brain. (A) Heerding. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This lecture course is designed to introduce the student to the functioning of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), which is critically involved in the maintenance of body homeostasis through regulation of behavior and physiology. The course will begin with a review the basic anatomy and physiology of the ANS including the sympathetic, parasympathetic and enteric divisions. The mechanisms by which
the ANS regulates peripheral tissues will be discussed, including reflex and regulatory functions, as will the effect of drugs which modulate ANS activity. The role of the ANS in regulating behavior will be addressed in the context of thirst, salt appetite and food intake. Finally, the course will cover the result of over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system as manifested in chronic stress.

270. Drugs, Brain and Mind. (B) Lexow. Prerequisite(s): Introductory Biology and Psychology, BIBB 109. Course Syllabus
The course will begin with a review of basic concepts in pharmacology including: routes of drug administration, drug metabolism, the dose response curve, tolerance and sensitization. Following a brief overview of cellular foundations of neuropharmacology (cell biology, synaptic and receptor function), the course will focus on various classes of drugs used to treat neuropsychiatric disorders including, among others, depression, schizophrenia and anxiety. We will additionally consider mechanisms mediating the mind-altering, addictive and neurotoxic effects of abused drugs.

310. Laboratory in the Structure of the Nervous System. (B) Miselis. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
A laboratory course designed to familiarize the student with the fundamental gross and histological organization of the brain. The mammalian brain will be dissected and its microscopic anatomy examined using standard slide sets. Comparative brain material will be introduced, where appropriate, to demonstrate basic structural-functional correlations. Offered through LPS.

320. Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine. Hollander. Formerly BBB 490. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor (E-mail (preferred) at hollandj@uphs.upenn.edu or call 215-662-2767) Course Information
This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of clinical research highlighting basic research design, research ethics, data collection, and good clinical practices. Students work closely with faculty in the Emergency Department screening, recruiting, and consenting patients for a variety of studies. A supplemental seminar series will introduce students to innovative, focused areas of medical research. This course stresses independent thinking, professional responsibility, and personal accountability. Offered through LPS.

321. Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine II. Hollander. Formerly BBB 491. Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor and BBB 320. (E-mail (preferred) at hollandj@uphs.upenn.edu or call 215-662-2767) Course Information
Advanced research in Emergency Medicine. This course is designed to teach students the advanced skills involved in research presentation and authorship. Students will work closely with a mentor to develop effective technical writing skills based on the form and content requirements of scientific journals.  Offered through LPS.

350. Developmental Neurobiology. (C) DiRocco. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 102 or 122 and BIBB 109, or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This course will focus on cellular and molecular mechanisms of the organogenesis of the central nervous system. A goal of the course will be to understand the form, function and pathology of the adult nervous system in terms of antecedent developmental processes. Examples of the relationship of CNS pathology to developmental processes will be considered. Offered through LPS.

399. Sponsored Research. (C) Standing Faculty. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 and permission of the BBB Director.
Individual research of an experimental nature with a member of the standing faculty leading to a written paper. The grade is based primary on a serious term paper describing original research carried out by the student. Students must submit a proposal prior to registering. During the semester, students must attend two seminars led by the BBB Director or Associate Director to discuss planning an independent research project, ethical concerns in research and writing a scientific paper. Attendance at the meetings is mandatory. Students wishing to do research in hospitals with investigators who are not standing faculty at Penn should inquire about College 99 at the College Advising Office. Students doing more than one credit of independent study will be required to present a poster at the annual
BBB Symposium.

410. Behavioral Medicine: Experimental & Animal Models. (C) Ulm. Formerly BBB 390. Prerequisite: BIBB 109.
Fundamentals of Behavioral Medicine concerns itself with the description of ideology, disease and treatment from the perspective of a functional analyses. It is the intent of this course to extend the traditional structural analysis that traditional medicine provides.

420. Smell and Taste. (C) Breslin/Teeter. Formerly BBB 241. Prerequisite(s): Introductory Psychology and Biology, BIBB 109. PSYC 111 (Perception) preferred.
This course focuses on the sensation and perception of the chemical senses: smell, taste, and chemical irritation. We will emphasize physiology of these senses and perception/psychophysics in mammals and fish. This course will also discuss somatosensation and other senses briefly. Offered through LPS.

421. Functional Imaging of the Human Brain. (B) Newberg. Prerequisite: BIBB 109. Course Syllabus
The ability to utilize different imaging techniques in disciplines such as psychology, psychiatry, neurology, and cognitive neurosciences is a growing field and presents many interesting problems and possibilities. This course is an upper level seminar course for individuals pursuing one of the above mentioned fields and/or premedical course work. The course would provide a detailed overview of functional brain imaging and its potential uses. Issues regarding advantages and disadvantages of different modalities, study design image analysis and interpretation, and how each of these relates to various neurological and psychological phonomena will be discussed. The classes will cover the following specific topics in this general time frame: Introduction to functional brain function, basics of nuclear medicine imaging (including instrumentation, image acquisition, and radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography), imaging of neurological disorders, imaging of psychological disorders, introduction to activation studies, image analysis and statistical problems, study design, literature review, journal article presentation, tour of Penn imaging facilities, interpretation of imaging studies, implications for clinical and research, and implications for understand the human mind and consciousness.

430. Neurobiological Basis of Autism. (C) Holloway. Prerequisites: Introductory Biology, BIBB 109.
This course cover the signs and symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), such as their lack of language, eye gaze aberrations, deficits in joint attention, avoidance and inadequacies of social interaction, hand flapping, and self stimulating behaviors. We will learn about diagnostic tools, such as the ADOS and ADIR. We will cover the neurobiological changes specific to the brains of autistic children such as in the cerebral cortex white matter, amygdala, brainstem, cerebellum and neural communication systems. We will also focus on genes associated with autism, many of which regulate neuronal communication systems. They include NRXN1, NLGN3, NLGN4, SHANK3, CNTNAP2, CHD10, BZRAP1 and MDGA2, DLX1and DLX2, Fragile X, Tuberous Sclerous 1, Neurexin 1 Tuberous Sclerous 2, Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome, Neurofibromatous 1, and Rett's Syndrome. Additionally covered are some of the more popularized issues such as autistic Savants, vaccines and mirror neurons. Finally we will discuss brain plasticity and treatment choices, such as drugs and early behavioral interventions.. Offered through LPS.

441. Genetics, Evolution, and Behavior. (C) Norman.
The first half of the course treats Behavioral Genetics (e.g., genetic and envionmental components of IQ, personality, and psychopathology, gene-envioroment interaction), and the second half deals with Evolutionary Psychology (e.g., evolution of altruistic, cooperative, and competitive behavior). There are no prerequisites, but previous courses in Psychology, Biological Basis of Behavior, Anthropology, Biology, or Statistics would be helpful preparation. For additonal information see http://www.psych.upenn.edu/~normal/441Overview.htm

451. (PSYC407) Behavioral Genetics. (C) Price. Prerequisite(s): Basic statistics or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This course covers basic principles of human and animal behavioral genetics, including normal variation and extreme phenotypes represented by behavioral, psychiatric and neurologic disorders. The course will focus on methods necessary to critically evaluate research findings on normal and abnormal human behavior. Animal models will also be reviewed. The first third of the class is in lecture format and reviews basic genetic methodologies as they apply to behavior. The remainder of the class is in seminar format and covers recently published work related to behavioral genetics.

460. (PSYC139) Neuroendocrinology Seminar. (B) Flanagan-Cato. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109, one year of Biology, or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This course is an upper-level seminar, designed to examine the various roles played by the nervous and endocrine systems in controlling both physiological processes and behavior.  We will focus on sexual and parental behaviors, stress, metabolism, neuroendocrine-immune interactions, and mental health.  The format will be a mixture of lectures and journal club discussions based on recent primary literature in the field of neuroendocrinology.  Students will also write several short papers based on the clinical neuroendocrinolgy.

475. Neurodegenerative Diseases. (B) Lexow. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This course will familiarize students with advances in our understanding of the clinical features and pathogenesis of a wide rage of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, prion diseases, Parkinson's disease and atypical parkinsonisms, neurodegenerative ataxias, motor neuron diseases, degenerative diseases with chorea, iron and copper disorders, and mitochondrial diseases. Students will analyze original research reports on a range of proposed pathological cellular processes that may represent steps in cell death pathways leading to neuron loss seen in these diseases. Representative topics will include accumulation of aberrant proteins, inflammatory response and release of neurotoxic cytokines, protein misfolding, protofibril formation, ubiquitin-proteosome system dysfunction, synaptic failure, excitotoxic insult, oxidative and nitrosative stress, mitochondrial injury and dysfunction, axonal and dendritic transport failure. Significant emphasis will be placed on the fast-expanding field exploring genetic contributions to neurodegenerative disease, as identification of genetic mutations pathogenic for familial neurodegenerative diseases has been a major driving force in neurodegenerative research and pointed researchers towards essential molecular process that may underlie these disorders. Strategies for therapeutic intervention in the management, prevention, and cure of neurodegenerative disease will be addressed. Offered through LPS.

479. Systems Neuroscience. (B) Schmidt, M./Medina. Prerequisite(s): BIOL 251/BIBB 251 and permission of instructor.
This course will investigate neural processing at the systems level. Principles of how brains encode information will be explored in both sensory (e.g. visual, auditory, olfactory, etc.) and motor systems.  Neural encoding strategies will be discussed in relation to the specific behavioral needs of the animal.  Examples will be drawn from a variety of different model systems.

480. Biological Basis of Psychiatric Disorders. (C) Lexow. Formerly BBB 380. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
The contributions of basic sciences (neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and neuropharmacology) to an understanding of behavior and behavioral disorders. Important psychiatric disorders are discussed primarily from the viewpoint of their biological aspects. Newer approaches to treatment with pharmacological agents are considered. Emphasis is placed on critical evaluation of research strategies and hypotheses. Offered through LPS.

SM 481. Behavioral Pharmacology. (B) Heerding. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This seminar course reviews the behavioral effects of drugs in animals, the general biological and psychological principles of drug action, and the relationship between drugs that effect brain monoamine and opiate systems and their behavioral effects. Introductory material will be followed by advanced discussion of specific topics in journal club format.

SM 482. Clinical Psychopharmacology. (C) Lexow. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109 or 269 or 380 or Permission of Instructor. Course Syllabus
This course examines the history, rationale and putative mechanism of action of drugs used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Emphasis is placed on neurobiological processes underlying psychopathology and pharmacological intervention. Drugs currently in use as well as new drugs in development will be covered. Strategies, techniques, issues and challenges of clinical psychopharmacological research will be addressed and new approaches to drug discovery, including the use of pharmacogenomics and proteomics to understand variability in drug response and identify new molecular drug targets, will be covered in depth. Specific drug classes to be considered include antidepressants, anxiolytics, typical and atypical antipsychotics, narcotic analgesics, sedative hypnotics, and antiepileptic medications. A contrasting theme throughout the course will be the use of drugs as probes to identify neural substrates of behavior. Offered through LPS.

SM 492. Experimental Methods in Synaptic Physiology. (C) Kaplan. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109, BIBB 251. Course Syllabus
In this seminar and lab course, a small number of students (12-20) meet once per week to discuss topics in synaptic physiology and to become proficient at sharp electrode techniques for intracellular recording, using isolated ganglia from the snail Heliosoma. The first part of each class will consist of discussion of weekly reading from the primary literature, with the remainder of the class devoted to hands-on experiments. After learning to record from and characterize single neurons, students will study synaptic transmission by stimulating incoming nerve trunks or by recording from pairs of interconnected neurons. As a midterm assignment, students will prepare and present a short research proposal using this model system, to be evaluated by the class. for the last half of the course, the class will work together on one or two of these proposals, meeting at the end of each class to pool our data, analyze the results and discuss their significance.

499. Senior Honors Thesis. (C) Standing Faculty. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 399, Permission of BIBB Director and a GPA of 3.3 or better.
Continuation of BIBB 399 research. Students are required to participate in the weekly honors seminar program run by the Director or Associate Director.  Students will discuss and present research findings, ethics concerns in research and careers in neuroscience. Selected faculty will also present research talks as part of the honors seminar program. Students will also be required to present their oral defense and a poster at the annual BBB Symposium.

585. Theoretical Neuroscience. (C) Balasubramanian. Prerequisite(s): BIBB 109. A knowledge of multi-variable calculus, linear algebra and differential equations is required (except by permission of the instructor).  Prior exposure to neuroscience and/or Matlab programming will be helpful.Course Syllabus
This course will develop theoretical and computational approaches to structural and functional organization in the brain.  The course will cover: (i) the basic biophysics of neural responses, (ii) neural coding and decoding with an emphasis on sensory systems,  (iii) approaches to the study of networks of neurons, (iv) models of adaptation, learning and memory, (v) models of decision making, and (vi) ideas that address why the brain is organized the way that it is.  The course will be appropriate for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students. 

A complete description of all courses are listed in the Undergraduate Academic Bulletin and the Course Register.