Medical
Neuroscience
Total Contact Hours:
68 hours
Course Director:
John C. Pearson, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience, Cell Biology, and Physiology
Course Description:
This course is all about the human
nervous system: how it is structured; how it works; what happens when it does
not; and how physicians identify lesions from diagnostic studies, history, and
physical findings.
K=Knowledge and Lifelong Learning
C=Interpersonal and Communication P=Professionalism, Advocacy, and Personal Growth |
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By the conclusion of this course, the student will
demonstrate:
K1 An understanding of normal cell and tissue structure
and function, including the ability to:
- Describe
the release, reuptake, and degradation of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators
- Describe
pre- and postsynaptic receptor interactions, including those provided by
trophic and growth factors
- Describe
brain metabolism, brain homeostasis, the blood-brain barrier, cerebrospinal
fluid formation and circulation, and the choroid plexus
K2 An understanding of nervous system development,
including the ability to describe the embryonic development, fetal maturation,
and perinatal changes of the human nervous system, including neural tube
derivatives, cerebral ventricles, and neural crest derivatives
K3 An understanding of normal nervous system organs and
systems, including the ability to:
- Describe
the structure and function of the spinal cord, including gross anatomy, blood
supply, and spinal reflexes
- Describe
the structure and function of the brainstem, including cranial nerves and nuclei, reticular
formation, gross anatomy, and blood supply
- Describe
the structure and function of the brain, including the gross anatomy, blood
supply, cognition, language-use, memory, and control of eye
movement
- Describe
the structure and function of sensory systems, including those involved in
proprioception, pain transmission and modulation, vision, hearing, balance,
taste, and olfaction
- Describe
the structure and function of motor systems, including motoneurons arising from
the spinal cord and brainstem, descending motor
pathways arising from the brainstem and cerebral cortex, the basal ganglia, and
the cerebellum
- Describe
the structure and function of peripheral nerves
K4 An understanding of nervous system injury and repair,
including the ability to describe mechanisms underlying nervous tissue repair
and regeneration, including changes associated with stages of life
K5 An understanding of seven key disease processes:
- Infectious,
inflammatory, and immunological disorders
- Traumatic
and mechanical disorders
- Neoplastic
disorders
- Vascular
disorders
- Congenital
and perinatal disorders
- Toxic/metabolic
disorders
- Paroxysmal
disorders
- For
each of the above disease processes, the student will demonstrate the ability
to:
- Describe the anatomical context and distribution of
pathologic changes
- Describe etiology (if known) and pathogenesis
- Explain genetic phenotypes and mechanisms
- Recognize characteristic clinical features
- Recognize typical gross and histopathologic features
- Describe natural history and prognosis
K6 An understanding of the mechanisms of action, use,
and adverse effects of the following drugs for treatment of nervous system
disorders:
- Anesthetics, local
- Anticonvulsants
- Analgesics
- Antiparkinsonian drugs
- Skeletal muscle relaxants (antispasmodics)
- Neuromuscular junction blocking agents
- Drugs to decrease intracranial pressure (mannitol,
antimigraine agents)
- Anticholinesterases
- Antiglaucoma drugs
C1 The
ability to work effectively in teams, through the team-based learning modules
in the areas of neurovascular disease, neurological lesion localization, and
infectious diseases of the nervous system
C2 The
ability to interpret physical findings and present the localizing signs for the
following neurologic diseases:
- Infectious,
inflammatory, and immunologic disorders, including meningitis, multiple
sclerosis, and myasthenia gravis
- Traumatic
and mechanical disorders, including subdural and epidural hematomas, cord
compression, and peripheral nerve injury
- Neoplastic
disorders, including primary and metastatic
- Vascular
disorders, including cerebrovascular occlusion, venous sinus thrombosis,
arterial aneurysms, and hemorrhage
- Systemic
disorders affecting the nervous system, including lupus and diabetic neuropathy
- Congenital
disorders, including neural tube defects, cerebral palsy, mental retardation,
and Down syndrome
- Degenerative
disorders, including peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson disease, Huntington
disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Paroxysmal
disorders, including epilepsy, headache, and pain syndromes
- Disorders
of special senses, including blindness and deafness
- Idiopathic
disorders affecting the nervous system
P1 Professionalism
through the ability to:
- Be punctual and attend required events
- Complete online assignments in a timely fashion
- Be truthful
- Be courteous to patients, patients' families, staff,
colleagues, and other health professionals involved in the administration of
this course
- Maintain confidentiality regarding patient care
- Demonstrate respect, empathy, responsiveness, and
concern regardless of the patient's neurologic problems, personal
characteristics, or cultural background
- Demonstrate scholarship in the form of contributing to
a positive learning environment, collaborating with colleagues, and performing
self-assessment and self-directed learning
Learning Activities:
Presentations, laboratories, Team-Based Learning, clinical case discussions.
Syllabi:
Assessment:
Three MCQ exams, Team-Based Learning. |
