Neuroscience

Introduction to the field of neuroscience from a biological perspective. In-depth examination of fundamental concepts in neurobiology designed to introduce students to the electrophysiological, chemical and anatomical features of neurons, brain regions and brain circuits. Investigation of the neurobiological basis of behavior through exploration of topics such as neuronal communication, neuroanatomy, sensory and motor systems, learning, motivation, and behavior disorders.

An exploration of theoretical and methodological questions involved in the study of learning and neural plasticity. Questions covered will include: What is learning? What are the mechanisms that support neural plasticity, and how do they contribute to learning-induced changes in behavior? How does learning change across the lifespan? Laboratory exercises will include the development of original experiments to elicit and measure learning at the behavioral and neural levels, as well as the analysis of neural data. Three hours of class and three hours of laboratory.

A theoretical and methodological exploration of the psychological and physiological mechanisms of stress. Questions will include: How does psychological stress impact health and well-being? What neurobiological mechanisms are involved? What is the role of environmental context? Laboratory exercises will include designing original experiments to examine the role of stress on behavior and physiological activity, as well as analyzing data, writing papers based on findings, and oral and poster presentations. Three hours of class and three hours of laboratory.

This course is centered on understanding the neurobiology of the "addicted brain." Strong emphasis on the neurobiological effects of drugs of abuse, including short and longer-term changes in the brain and body that occur in response to drug use and abuse. A sampling of drugs to be discussed include cocaine, heroin, marijuana, hallucinogens and alcohol. Effectiveness of various treatment strategies will also be considered. Some discussion of the social, political and philosophical aspects of addiction to drug and non-drug substances (e.g., food compulsions and pathological gambling).

Introduction to the theory and implementation of artificial intelligence. This course covers both foundational and modern approaches to AI, and explores a common thread of searching intelligently for solutions. Students will learn to select an appropriate AI representation to solve a problem and empirically analyze the performance of AI systems. Topics include heuristic search, game playing, evolutionary computation, machine learning, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. Programming Intensive.