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Proposal for Neuroscience Concentration

June 24, 2014

Below we provide background information and a brief outline of the proposed new Neuroscience
concentration. Attached is a draft of the UA for the new concentration, as well as a draft of the
revised UA for the Neuroscience Certificate program, which will be revised in parallel with the
creation of the new concentration.

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Background
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This proposal is motivated by three primary factors: 1) neuroscience is a well established

discipline; 2) most of our peer institutions have neuroscience concentrations; 3) increasing
numbers of undergraduate applicants and our enrolled students are expressing an interest in such
a concentration. The last factor is perhaps the most important. We are receiving a growing
number of inquiries from applicants to Princeton about whether it is possible to concentrate in
neuroscience, and our own students have begun to clamor for a Neuroscience concentration.
While the Certificate program serves the interests of many students (and we propose to preserve
it see below) the size of the program continues to grow (from 2 graduates per year at its
inception to 50 last year) and an increasing number of participants are expressing the desire to
focus on neuroscience as their primary area of study rather than as an adjunct. This growth of
interest has been paralleled by the growth and maturation of the Princeton Neuroscience Institute
(PNI). Since its inception in 2005 six new neuroscience faculty have been hired, the number of
neuroscience-related course offerings has approximately doubled, PNI has taken up residence in
its own new building replete with dedicated teaching laboratories and with space and plans for
the recruitment of another six new faculty. Thus, the development of PNI has positioned it well
to meet the demands for a Neuroscience concentration. Creating such a concentration will allow
Princeton to remain competitive with its peer institutions in this critical and rapidly growing
area.

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Overview of Program
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The proposed Neuroscience concentration is intended for students with a strong interest in
studying the functions of the brain, and how it gives rise to thought, emotion and behavior.
Prerequisites for participation are a grounding in basic science and formal methods, including
college-level introductory courses in physics, chemistry, calculus, statistics and computer
science, as well as the sequence of introductory core courses in neuroscience (NEU 258 and 259)
and a new 300-level laboratory course to be offered on modern methods in neuroscience. In
PRINCETON NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540

addition, students will be required to take six elective courses, drawn from at least two of three
content areas: molecular and cellular neuroscience; systems and computational neuroscience;
and cognitive, affective and social neuroscience (a full list of currently offered courses is
included in the attached proposed UA). NEU concentrators will also be expected to initiate
independent research work during their junior year, and to conduct an independent research
project for their senior thesis. Those pursuing a laboratory project (which we anticipate will be
the majority of students) are strongly encouraged to become engaged with a faculty laboratory
early during their junior year, and at the latest over the summer between their junior and senior
years. This is required in order to gain the skills necessary for conducting laboratory work.
Finally, students will be expected to attend the PNI retreat during their junior and senior years,
and to present their work at least once in the undergraduate poster session.

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Summer Opportunities
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For the past two years, PNI has run a highly successful summer internship program for
undergraduates interested in pursuing a summer research experience in neuroscience (http://
www.princeton.edu/neuroscience/summer-internship-program/). This includes a scholarship
program for under-represented minorities. About 20 students participate in the program each
summer, about half of whom have been from Princeton. The program includes a didactic
component with lectures provided by faculty, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students, a
career training component (in coordination with the PSURE program), and a weekly journal
club, as well as a summer research project conducted in a faculty members laboratory. We
anticipate that this program will accommodate Neuroscience concentrators at Princeton who
wish to participate (as it presently does Neuroscience Certificate participants). However, should
the need arise, it will be expanded as necessary to accommodate any growth in the concentration,
while maintaining its goals of insuring the diversity of its participants.

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Cohort Experience
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PNI currently hosts an annual retreat in which undergraduates have regularly participated. With
the formation of a concentration, we will establish a new, undergraduate-dedicated poster session
at the retreat. Neuroscience concentrators will be required to present at least once during their
term at Princeton. PNI also present hosts a Neuroscience Class day at which prizes are given out
to participants in the Neuroscience Certificate (including a graduate student teaching award).
This will naturally be extended to the concentration, for which at least one new award will be
created (best Neuroscience Thesis Award). Finally, a new semiannual PNI undergraduate social
gathering will be instituted, for participants in the Certificate Program and Concentration.

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Comparison with Peer Institutions
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The majority of Princetons peer institutions have freestanding undergraduate

programs in Neuroscience (Brown, Caltech, Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT,
University of California, Berkeley, and University of Pennsylvania). The peer

institutions that do not have (Cornell, Yale, and Stanford) provide a neuroscience
track within a given concentration (e.g. Biology or Psychology). In general, the
institutions that do not offer a concentration in neuroscience are ones that do not
have a well-established unit within the college or Schoool of Arts & Sciences that can
support a free-standing program. At Princeton, PNI constitutes such a unit.

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Academic Resources
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Faculty and Courses. At present, there are 20 core members of PNI all of whom have committed
at least 50% of their teaching responsibilities to PNI, and 9 Associated Faculty who also
participate in the teaching mission of PNI. Furthermore, as noted above, additional faculty
growth is anticipated (there is laboratory space in the new building for an additional 6 hires, and
PNI is currently involved in the recruitment of 3 of these). Even at our present size, however, we
do not anticipate that formation of a concentration will significantly impact faculty teaching or
advising load. Students pursuing concentrations in Psychology and Molecular Biology have
consistently made up over 70% of the Neuroscience Certificate program, and these are the
students who are most likely to pursue a Neuroscience concentration if it is offered. Since most
of these students are already advised by PNI faculty (who have joint appointments in Psychology
and Molecular Biology), switching to a Neuroscience concentration would not substantially
affect faculty advising load. We also believe that the number of neuroscience-related courses
currently offered by PNI-associated faculty (in excess of 30) is sufficient to mount a
concentration (see attached UA). Furthermore, as noted above, the number of PNI faculty is
likely to grow by at least six over the next several years, thus ensuring commensurate growth in
neuroscience-related course offerings.

Existing concentrations. Based on the composition of the Neuroscience Certificate, we

anticipate that most students who would choose to pursue a concentration in neuroscience are
ones presently concentrating in either Psychology or Molecular Biology. Since these are both
large concentrations, and since most of the faculty who advise these students and teach
neuroscience-related courses are also from these two departments (many of which count toward
concentrations in these departments), we do not expect that the creation of Neuroscience
concentration will have a deleterious impact on existing programs.

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Administrative and Physical Resources
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A component of the PNI administrative budget is dedicated to support of the neuroscience

certificate program. We anticipate that most of the students who would choose to concentrate in
neuroscience would be drawn from the pool of certificate students. Assuming that the demands
of tracking and communicating with students in the concentration are roughly comparable to
those for students presently in the certificate program, we do not anticipate that any additional
administrative resources will be needed to mount the concentration, at least in the immediate
future. As noted above, PNI has recently moved to its own building, with dedicated teaching
facilities including a neuroscience teaching laboratory. Thus, PNI presently has both the

administrative and physical resources needed to mount the concentration. However, if the
combined number of students enrolled in the certificate program and concentration grows
substantially beyond the current level of about 50, then additional administrative support may be
needed.

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Neuroscience Certificate
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The creation of a Neuroscience concentration will allow us to revise the Neuroscience Certificate
to make it more accessible to a broader range of students with an interest in neuroscience (e.g.,
from the social sciences and humanities). At present, the Certificate Program is under the
tension of having to serve two constituencies: students who have a primary interest in, and wish
to pursue and in-depth course of study in neuroscience, and those whose primary interests lie in
another area but who wish to gain exposure to neuroscience. With the creation of a
concentration, we would relax some of the requirements of the certificate program, to
accommodate a broader range of students interested in the program. Specifically, we propose to
eliminate the mathematics requirement as a prerequisite, as well as the requirement for a
neuroscience-related thesis (offering the option of an additional neuroscience-related elective
course in its place). A copy of the proposed UA for a Neuroscience Certificate Program revised
along these lines is attached.

Neuroscience Concentration
[0030] Information and Institute Plan of Study
The Princeton Neuroscience Institute offers the Neuroscience concentration for undergraduates
with a strong interest in pursuing in-depth study of the brain. Neuroscience is a broad
interdisciplinary field requiring rigorous preparation in basic science. Students in this discipline
are expected to understand the basic principles of neuroscience, cognition as well as cell and
systems biology. Thus, the concentration provides an opportunity for serious study of molecular,
cellular, developmental, and systems neuroscience as it interfaces with cognitive and behavioral
research. Since modern neuroscience is relying increasingly on quantitatively sophisticated
methods and theory, students are also expected to gain competency in mathematics and statistics,
physics and/or computer science. By offering a combination of courses and interdisciplinary
research, students who complete the Neuroscience concentration will be highly qualified to
pursue graduate work at the best neuroscience, psychology or biology graduate programs and
will also have completed the background requirements to enter medical or veterinary school.
[0070] Admission to the Program
Prerequisites for entry into the Neuroscience concentration are the courses NEU 258 and NEU
259.
[0120] Program of Study
Course work
The following courses are requirements and, in general, should be completed before the
beginning of the junior year:
General Physics (PHY 101 and 102) or (PHY 103 and 104)
General Chemistry (CHM 201 and 202) or one unit of AP credit and CHM 202 or CHM 215 or
two units of CHM credit
Mathematics (MAT 100 and 102) or (MAT 103 and [MAT 104 or MAT 175, PSY 251, MOL
410, MOL/EEB 355]). Other courses may be substituted upon approval by a departmental
representative.
Statistics (ORF 245 or the equivalent).
Computer Science (COS 126 or higher)

All of the above prerequisites and requirements, with the exception of NEU 258 and NEU 259,
can be satisfied with advanced placement and/or summer courses at other universities (within
University guidelines). NEU 258 and NEU 259 must be taken at Princeton University.
The following core course is required:
Methods in Neuroscience NEU 3XX. This course will offer students hands-on experience
with the range of experimental and theoretical methods that comprise modern neuroscience
research, from viral tract tracing and single unit neural recordings in non-human species to EEG
and fMRI in humans. Students will be responsible for conducting laboratory exercises and
writing lab reports that involve detailed quantitative analysis of the data generated in the labs
Electives. Six electives must be taken from three different subject areas: A) molecular and
cellular neuroscience; B) systems and computational neuroscience; and C) cognitive, affective
and social neuroscience. A list of current offerings (with distributional area designations) is
appended below.
No substitutions are allowed, with the exception of students completing both years of the
Integrated Science program, and students who are pursuing study abroad. For students studying
abroad, up to two courses may be in a qualified program with prior departmental approval. All
students must take at least six departmental courses. No courses may be taken pass/D/fail.
Independent work
Junior Independent Work. In the fall semester of the junior year students participate in tutorials
with a faculty adviser, read papers from the original literature, and prepare a review paper on an
assigned topic. In the spring term students carry out a second program of independent work with
the faculty adviser with whom they will eventually do their senior thesis. In some instances this
may include experimental work. A paper, in the form of a grant proposal, preparatory for the
senior independent work, is due in early May.
Senior Independent Work. During the senior year each student, with the guidance of a faculty
adviser, undertakes a major research effort. This research project can be a laboratory or
independent study that will be written and presented as a senior thesis.
Senior Departmental Examination
The senior thesis serves as the basis for the first part of the senior comprehensive exam, a 60minute oral examination conducted by two members of the faculty. The exam consists of two
parts: (1) a defense of the thesis and a discussion of its implications, and (2) some more general
questions on the broader field of neuroscience.
Study Abroad
The department encourages students to consider studying abroad for one semester, or even for a
full year, in conjunction with departmental concentration in neuroscience. Concentrators may
receive credit for up to two courses per semester spent studying abroad, to count toward their
departmental course requirements. Courses taken while studying abroad require the prior
approval of the departmental representative. To secure approval, students must document the
work load and material covered by proposed courses.

Courses
NEU 101 Neuroscience and Everyday Life (also MOL 110/STC 102) STL
Acquaints non-science concentrators with classical and modern neuroscience. Lectures will give
an overview at levels ranging from molecular signaling to cognitive science with a focus on the
neuroscience of everyday life, from the general (love, memory, and personality) to the particular
(jet lag, autism, and weight loss). The laboratory will offer hands-on experience in recording
signals from single neurons, examining neural structures, and analysis of whole-brain functional
brain imaging data. Two 90-minute lectures, one laboratory.
NEU 258 Fundamentals of Neuroscience (also PSY 258) STN / Pre-Req.
This is a survey course on neuroscience, focusing mainly on sensory and motor processing in the
primate brain. How does information from the outside world get into the brain, what neuronal
pathways does it follow, how is it processed and used to construct an internal model of threedimensional reality, and how does the brain choose and coordinate the correct behavioral
response?
NEU 259A & B Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience (also PSY 259A) EC / Pre-Req.
An introduction to cognitive brain functions, including higher perceptual functions, attention and
selective perception, systems for short- and long-term memory, language, cerebral lateralization,
motor control, executive functions of the frontal lobe, cognitive development and plasticity, and
the problem of consciousness. Major neuropsychological syndromes (e.g., agnosia, amnesia) will
be discussed. Prerequisite: 258 or instructor's permission. Two 90-minute lectures, one
preceptorial or one three-hour laboratory.
NEU 330 Introduction to Connectionist Models: Bridging between Brain and Mind (also
PSY 330) Distribution B, C
A fundamental goal of cognitive neuroscience is to understand how psychological functions such
as attention, memory, language, and decision making arise from computations performed by
assemblies of neurons in the brain. This course will provide an introduction to the use of
connectionist models (also known as neural network or parallel distributed processing models) as
a tool for exploring how psychological functions are implemented in the brain, and how they go
awry in patients with brain damage. Prerequisite: instructor's permission. Two 90-minute
lectures, one laboratory.
NEU 339 Brain and Movement (also PSY 339) Distribution B, C
This course covers the brain control of movement with an emphasis on how the cerebral cortex
of the primate brain coordinates meaningful behavior. The topics range from the low-level
control of muscles by motor cortex and the spinal cord, to the highest levels of interaction
between the motor system and cognitive function. For example, the machinery for motor control
may play a direct role in social cognition. The course begins with the discovery of motor cortex
in 1870. It then covers a network of cortical and subcortical areas that together control movement
and guide movement on the basis of cognitive decision and sensory input.

NEU 403 Neurogenetics of Behavior (also MOL 403) Distribution A, B

How do seemingly simple organisms generate complex behaviors? This course will explore our
current understanding of the genetic and neural basis for animal behavior, with an emphasis on
cutting-edge research and model systems that are amenable to genetic manipulation. Each week
we will discuss a new behavior with a focus on the underlying mechanisms; students will also
lead discussions of primary literature. The goal of this course is to provide required background,
knowledge, and critical thinking skills to move beyond the published literature to proposing
original experiments. This effort will culminate in a final paper from each student.
NEU 408 Cellular and Systems Neuroscience (also MOL 408/PSY 404) STN /
Distribution A, B
A survey of fundamental principles in neurobiology at the biophysical, cellular, and system
levels. Lectures will address the basis of the action potential, synaptic transmission and
plasticity, local circuit computation, sensory physiology, and motor control. Prerequisites: MOL
214 or MOL 215, PSY 258, PHY 103-104, and MAT 103-104, or permission of instructor. Two
90-minute lectures, one preceptorial.
NEU 425 Neuroeconomics (also PSY 425) Distribution C
This seminar focuses on the recent explosion of interest in understanding the neural basis of
valuation and decision making, and the resulting marriage between the formal rigor of economics
and the empirical basis of psychology and neuroscience, termed "neuroeconomics". We will
approach the question of how the brain makes economic decisions from multiple perspectives,
drawing on theoretical, behavioral, and neural data from economics, psychology, and
neurobiology. Major topics include: decision under risk and uncertainty; the role of learning in
evaluating options; choice mechanisms; and multiplayer interactions and social decision making.
NEU 437 Computational Neuroscience (also MOL 437/PSY 437) STL / Distribution B
Introduction to the biophysics of nerve cells and synapses, and the mathematics of neural
networks. How can networks of neurons compute? How do we model and analyze data from
neuroscientific experiments? Data from experiments running at Princeton will be used as
examples (e.g., blowfly visual system, hippocampal slice, rodent prefrontal cortex). Each topic
will have a lecture and a computer laboratory component. Prerequisite: MOL 410, or elementary
knowledge of linear algebra, differential equations, probability, and basic programming ability,
or permission of the instructor. Two 90 minute lectures, one laboratory.
NEU 501A - Neuroscience: from molecules to systems to behavior Distribution A, B
A survey of modern neuroscience in lecture format combining theoretical and
computational/quantitative approaches. Topics include cellular neurophysiology, neuroanatomy,
neural circuits and dynamics, neural development and plasticity, sensory systems, genetic model
systems, and molecular neuroscience. This is one-half of a double-credit core course required of
all Neuroscience Ph.D. students.
NEU 501B - Neuroscience: from molecules to systems to behavior Distribution A, B
This laboratory course complements NEU 501A and introduces students to the variety of
techniques and concepts used in modern neuroscience, from the point of view of experimental
and computational/quantitative approaches. Topics include synaptic transmission and plasticity,

two-photon imaging, patch clamp recording in brain slices, optogenetic methods to control
neural activity and student-designed special projects. In-lab lectures give students the
background necessary to understand the scientific content of the labs but the emphasis is on the
laboratory work. Second half of a double-credit core course required of all NEU Ph.D. students.
NEU 502A From Molecules to Systems to Behavior Distribution B, C
A survey of modern neuroscience in lecture format combining theoretical, experimental, and
computational/quantitative approaches. Topics include systems and cognitive neuroscience,
perception and attention, learning and behavior, memory, executive function/decision-making,
motor control and sequential actions. Diseases of the nervous system are considered. This is onehalf of a double-credit core course required of all Neuroscience Ph.D. students.
NEU 502B From Molecules to Systems to Behavior Distribution B, C
This lab course complements NEU 502A and introduces students to the variety of techniques and
concepts used in modern neuroscience, from the point of view of experimental and
computational/quantitative approaches. Topics include electrophysiological recording, functional
magnetic resonance imaging, psychophysics, and computational modeling. In-lab lectures give
students the background necessary to understand the scientific content of the labs, but the
emphasis is on the labs themselves. Second half of a double-credit core course required of all
Neuroscience Ph.D. students.
NEU 508 Computation and Coding in Microcircuits: The Retina and Beyond
Distribution B
This lecture-style course will explore principles of neural computation and coding in
microcircuits; the instructors will draw examples from the retina as well as develop analogies to
other systems, in which circuit-level functions can be confidently connected to cellular and
synaptic mechanisms. Quantitative experiments and computational models will be emphasized.
PSY 260 The Life Cycle of Behaviors (also NEU 260) STN / Distribution A, B
The goal of this course is to illuminate the interactions between the brain, body and behavior
over the course of development and how this shapes a species' evolution. We will first explore
developmental events at the cellular level that are shaped by parental behavior. We will then see
how these events influence the developing circuits of the brain. Finally, we will learn about
influences at the level of niche or culture, where the changes that organisms make to their
environments and to themselves influence and modify the patterns of behaviors exhibited in the
next generation.
PSY 306 Memory and Cognition (also NEU 306) EC / Distribution B, C
An integrative treatment of learning and memory in humans and animals. We will explore
working memory (our ability to actively maintain thoughts in the face of distraction) and
episodic memory (our ability to rapidly memorize specific details so we can recall them later), as
well as more incremental forms of learning. In studying these topics, we will consider both the
behavioral paradigms used to extract learning and memory data, as well as techniques from
cognitive neuroscience (e.g., neuroimaging, lesion studies, computational modeling) that shed
light on how the brain gives rise to learning and memory.

PSY 336 The Diversity of Brains (also EEB 336 NEU 336) EC / Distribution B
The premise of this seminar is that an understanding of the neural basis of behavior can be
gained by examining species-typical behaviors. Each animal species has evolved neural solutions
to specific problems posed to them by their environment. The course will focus primarily on
forebrain mechanisms in mammals, highlighting the unique environmental problems that a
species must solve and the ways in which the brains of these animals implement their solutions.
Some example model systems include prey capture by bats, monogamy and aggression in voles,
and eye gaze processing by primates.
PSY 337 Neuroscience of Social Cognition and Emotion (also NEU 337) EC /
Distribution C
This course explores the neural foundations of social cognition and social emotions. The
objective is to provide a comprehensive overview of research topics relevant to the emerging
field of social neuroscience. We will also discuss questions that cut across the specific topics that
will be covered. Do neural systems exist that are specialized for social cognition or do the
systems that participate in social cognition have more general cognitive functions? Can
neuroscientific research shed new light on social cognition? How can different disciplines in
neuroscience and the social sciences contribute to social neuroscience research?
PSY 338 Animal Learning and Decision Making: Psychological, Computational and Neural
Perspectives (also NEU 338) EC / Distribution B
Course designed to expose students to a modern, integrative view of animal learning phenomena
from experimental psychology, through the lens of computational models and current
neuroscientific knowledge. At the psychological level, we will concentrate on classical and
instrumental conditioning. Computationally, we will view these as exemplars of prediction
learning and action selection, the pillars of reinforcement learning. Neurally, we will focus on
the roles of dopamine and the basal ganglia at the systems level. Students will see how the study
of animal decision making can inform us about the computations that take place in the brain.
PSY 401 History of Neuroscience (also NEU 401/HUM 401) EC
Survey of the growth of ideas on the role of the brain in sensation, cognition, movement and
mental disease, particularly in classical antiquity and 18th century to 20th century Europe,
including social and political context for scientific and medical advances. Course is composed of
lectures, discussion and student presentations.
PSY 402 Introduction to Clinical Neuropsychology: Case Studies in Cognitive Neuroscience
(also NEU 402) EC / Distribution C
Much of what we know about the brain systems underlying perception, attention, memory, and
language was first derived from patients with brain lesions or other brain pathology. This course
provides an introduction to major syndromes in clinical neuropsychology such as object agnosia
(deficits in object recognition), amnesia, visuospatial hemineglect (attention deficits), aphasia
(language deficits), and others through careful analysis of clinical cases and their underlying
pathology.
PSY 407 Sleep: From Molecules to Mattress (also NEU 407) EC

The phenomenology and underlying neurobiology of the states of sleep and waking are
examined. A byproduct of doing so exposes students to a broad range of current research in the
field of neurobiology and behavior. Experimental results and theories, ranging from the
molecular and genetic to human brain imaging, are critically examined and discussed. Topics
include brain mechanisms mediating sleep and waking, diseases of sleep, ontogeny and
phylogeny of sleep, theories of functions and uses of sleep, dreams, drugs affecting sleep and
waking, circadian rhythms, other states of consciousness, and the issue of consciousness itself.
PSY 410 Depression: From Neuron to Clinic (also NEU 410) EC
This course focuses on clinical depression as a model topic for scientific discourse. Depression is
a subject of growing individual and societal importance, and it is an ideal topic because it
intersects such a broad range of issues. Our work will emphasize a neurobiological approach,
with topics ranging from the molecular to the clinical. Prerequisites: 208 or 258, or EEB 211, or
MOL 214, and instructor's permission. One three-hour seminar.
PSY 412 Motor Control and Learning (also NEU 412) EC / Distribution B, C
In this course, we will examine how the nervous system controls movements, how the brain
handles enormous computational complexities of movement, how motor skills are learned and
consolidated, and how the motor system influences cognition.
PSY 416 Brain Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience Research (also NEU 416) EC /
Distribution C
Provides an introduction for advanced psychology students on the use of functional brain
imaging in cognitive neuroscience research. The first third of the course will cover the
foundations of brain imaging in neurophysiology, imaging physics, experimental design, &
image analysis. The remainder will be an examination of innovations in experimental design &
methods of analysis that have opened new areas of cognitive neuroscience to inquiry using
functional brain imaging. Students will gain first-hand exposure to the scanning environment,
data collection procedures, and basic, hands-on experience with data treatment & statistical
analysis.
PSY 417 The Neural Basis of Goal-Directed Behavior (also NEU 417) EC / Distribution
C
A fundamental property of human action is its orientation toward specific desired goals.
Understanding the computations and neural mechanisms underlying this goal-directedness stands
as a central challenge for both psychology and neuroscience. We will review major theories
characterizing the role of goals in behavior, from cognitive, social and developmental
psychology, animal behavior research, and artificial intelligence. We'll then review a range of
neuroscientific data in an effort to sketch out the neural substrates of goal-directed behavior,
considering the neural basis of goal evaluation, selection, representation, and pursuit.
PSY 421 The Cognitive Neuroscience of Selective Attention (also NEU 421) EC /
Distribution C
Attention is a fundamental cognitive process that enables us to select info that is relevant for
ongoing behavior. Course reviews the cognitive neuroscience of selective attention starting from
theoretical foundations provided by cognitive psychology to the neural underpinnings identified

by systems neuroscience, and also includes an intro to the pathology of attention disorders. It
presents a hands-on science experience by drawing on current lab research, focusing on the
design and analyses of 'real' experiments, with opportunities to attend ongoing behavioral,
physiology, and functional imaging studies.
PSY 422 Dynamics in Cognition (also NEU 422) Distribution B, C
The brain is made up of billions of neurons, each sending and receiving signals from thousands
of other neurons. This densely connected network of neurons gives rise to rich spatial and
temporal dynamics. This course will investigate these dynamics. The course will present
experimental results from systems-level neuroscience and then discuss the theoretical
implications of these findings, particularly as they relate to higher-order, cognitive behaviors.
PSY 516 Brain Imaging in Cognitive Neuroscience Research (Also NEU 516)
Distribution C
Course provides an introduction for advanced students on the use of functional brain imaging in
cognitive neuroscience research, covering the foundations of brain imaging in neurophysiology,
imaging physics, experimental design, and image analysis. Also examines innovations in
experimental design and methods of analysis that have opened new areas of cognitive
neuroscience to inquiry using functional brain imaging. Students gain first-hand exposure to the
scanning environment, data collection procedures, and basic, hands-on experience with data
treatment and statistical analysis.
ELE 480 fMRI Decoding: Reading Minds Using Brain Scans (also NEU 480/PSY 480)
STL / Distribution C
How can we decode what people are thinking by looking at their brain scans? Over the past
several years, researchers have started to address this question by applying sophisticated patternclassification algorithms to patterns of functional MRI data, with the goal of decoding the
information that is represented in the subject's brain at a particular point in time. In lectures,
students will learn about cutting-edge techniques for finding meaningful patterns in large, noisy
datasets; in weekly computer labs, students will use these techniques to gain insight into fMRI
datasets.
MOL 447 Neuroimmunology: Immune Molecules in Normal Brain Function and
Neuropathology (also NEU 447) SLN / Distribution A
In this course, we will explore the diverse and complex interactions between the brain and the
immune system from the perspective of current, cutting-edge research papers. In particular, we
will focus on the molecular mechanisms of these interactions and their role in brain development
and function as well as their potential contributions to specific neurological disorders, including
autism. In the process, students will learn to read, critically evaluate, and explain in presentations
the content of articles from the primary literature.
MOL 451 Genes, Brain, and the Human Mind (also NEU 451) SA / Distribution A, B
How did the human brain become the most complex organ in the animal kingdom? How do
genetic and environmental forces produce its capabilities and maladies? These questions have
fascinated philosophers, humanists, physicians, and scientists for millennia and will be the focus
of this course. The course will use human genetics and systems neuroscience to analyze topics

including autism, Alzheimer disease, bipolar disorder and drug addiction. Class time will
emphasize lectures, discussion, and student-generated presentations. The goal is to reach a
modern understanding of how the human brain works and sometimes fails.