Catalog
Neuroscience
Professor Koven (Neuroscience); Associate Professor Castro (Neuroscience, chair); Assistant Professors Greene (Neuroscience), Kennedy (Chemistry and Biochemistry), and Kruse (Biology and Neuroscience); Visiting Assistant Professor Calhoon (Neuroscience)
Neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field that examines the interrelations between the nervous system and environment and includes perspectives from the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Majors build a strong foundation in the sciences to explore core domains of neurobiology, physiological psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and computational neuroscience through classroom and laboratory experiences. Students then extend and apply their knowledge with neuroscience-related electives and course work that critically examines the theories and practices of neuroscience from ethical, sociocultural, and other humanistic perspectives. Students interested in declaring the major may take the introductory course in their first or second year. Progress through the major includes a senior capstone experience. More information on the neuroscience program is available on the website (bates.edu/neuroscience).
Major Requirements
There are fourteen courses required for the major, with courses distributed across Groups A, B, C, D, and E. NS/PY 160 must be taken prior to junior year; Group B should be completed prior to senior year.
Group A. Foundation Courses.
Introductory biology: one of the following:
BIO 190. Organismal Biology/Lab (offered through 2018-2019).
BIO 195. Lab-Based Biological Inquiry (several courses offered beginning 2019-2020).
Cellular biology: one of the following:
BIO 202. Cellular Basis of Life.
BIO 242. Cellular and Molecular Biology/Lab.
All of the following:
CHEM 107A. Atomic and Molecular Structure/Lab.
CHEM 108A. Chemical Reactivity/Lab.
CHEM 217. Organic Chemistry I/Lab.
NS/PY 160. Introduction to Neuroscience.
Statistics: one of the following:
BIO 244. Biostatistics.
NRSC 205. Statistical Methods.
PSYC 218. Statistics.
Group B. Upper-level Core Courses. Two of the following:
BI/NS 308. Neurobiology/Lab.
NS/PY 330. Cognitive Neuroscience/Lab or NS/PY 331. Cognitive Neuroscience.
NS/PY 357. Computational Neuroscience/Lab.
NS/PY 363. Physiological Psychology/Lab or NS/PY 366. Physiological Psychology.
Group C. Neuroscience Electives. Three of the following courses:
BI/NS 305. Gene Editing in Biology and Neuroscience.
BIO 337. Animal Physiology/Lab.
BIO s47. Experimental Cell Biology/Lab.
FYS 497. Community Science of Brain Injury in Sports.
FYS 512. The Molecular Brain.
NS/PH 117. Brain Imaging: How Imaging Reveals the Brain and How the Brain Creates Behavior.
NRSC 209. Neural Codes: The Language of Thought.
NS/PY 250. Biopsychology of Motivation and Emotion.
NS/PY 319. Physiological Profiles of Mental Illness.
CH/NS 320. Mechanisms of Memory.
NS/PY 361. Topics in Affective Neuroscience.
NS/PY 362. Psychopharmacology.
NS/PY 364. Psychobiology of Smell.
NS/PY 382. Cultural Neuroscience.
NS/PY 399. Junior-Senior Seminar in Biological Psychology.
PSYC 302. Sensation and Perception.
PYSC 305. Animal Learning.
Students cannot count more than one 100-level and one Short Term course in Group C. Students may apply additional courses from Group B to Group C if they wish.
Group D. Neuroscience in Humanistic Context. One of the following:
FYS 455. Neuroscience Fiction.
FYS 478. The Story of the Brain: Ideas and Controversies about Brain Function from Antiquity to the Digital Age.
FYS 484. Making Sense: The Social Significance of Sensory Perception.
FYS 503. Making Moral Minds: Nature, Nurture, and the Sources of Morality.
CHEM 111: Science and Human Welfare: A Historical Perspective.
ENG 263. Literature, Medicine, Empathy.
ENG 395V. Literature, Medicine, and the Problem of Empathy.
INDS 267. Blood, Genes, and American Culture.
MU/PY 253. Music and the Embodied Mind.
NRSC 130. Neuroscience of Morality.
NRSC 208. Neuroscience, Ethics, and Society.
NRSC s20. Neuroscience, Ethics, and Society.
NS/PY 304. Embodied Cognition, Technoculture, and the Future of Identity.
PHIL 210. Philosophy of Cognitive Science.
PHIL 211. Philosophy of Science.
PHIL 233. Making Moral Minds: Nature, Nurture, and the Sources of Morality.
PHIL 235. Philosophy of Mind.
PHIL 321K. Philosophy of Animal Minds.
Group E. Senior Capstone. One of the following in senior year:
NRSC 457-458. Capstone Thesis in Neuroscience.
NRSC 459. Community-Engaged Learning Capstone.
NRSC 462. Capstone Seminar on Computational Neuroscience.
NS/PY 463. Capstone Seminar on Human Cognitive Neuroscience.
NS/PY 464. Capstone Seminar on Systems Neuroscience.
Double Majoring in Neuroscience and Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, or Psychology
Students may not double major in neuroscience and biochemistry, biology, chemistry, or psychology.Transfer of Courses
A maximum of two non-Bates courses can be counted toward the major, pending approval from the program chair.Pass/Fail Grading Option
Pass/fail grading may not be elected for courses applied toward the major. CoursesNS/PH 117. Brain Imaging: How Imaging Reveals the Brain and How the Brain Creates Behavior.
This introductory course surveys how breakthroughs in microscopy and imaging have enabled key discoveries about the brain. Students begin by investigating challenges the brain poses as an imaging sample and discuss the origins of these challenges in fundamental physical principles. After studying the structure and function of the nervous system as well as the physiology of neurons, students investigate both classical and cutting-edge imaging techniques. These techniques are introduced in the context of specific neuroscience case studies relevant to human health and behavior. Familiarity with high-school-level algebra and trigonometry is expected. Enrollment limited to 49. [Q] [S] [SR] J. Castro, T. Gould.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NRSC 130. The Neuroscience of Morality.
The 2016 presidential election brought discussions of morality to the forefront. Topics ranged from political morality and the liberal/conservative divide, to group morality and intergroup relations as well as the role of emotions versus conscious reasoning in moral judgment. Indeed, how do we decide whether a statement, conviction, or action is morally wrong? Are there different kinds of moral wrongness? What role does our neurobiology play in moral decision making? This course considers the neuroscientific origins of morality by exploring how judgments about fairness, harm, justice, honesty, and responsibility are impacted by our biological foundations. Enrollment limited to 29. [S] Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 160. Introduction to Neuroscience.
In this course, students learn how the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems support mind and behavior. Topics include neuroanatomy, developmental neurobiology, neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, and neuropsychiatry. The course is designed for prospective majors and nonmajors who are interested in exploring a field in which biology and psychology merge, and to which many other disciplines (e.g., chemistry, philosophy, anthropology, computer science) have contributed. Not open to students who have received credit for PSYC 215. Enrollment limited to 39. (Psychology: Biological.) Normally offered every year. J. Castro, M. Greene, N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NRSC 205. Statistical Methods.
This course provides a hands-on introduction to modern statistical methods for brain and behavioral data. Topics include descriptive statistics, introductory probability theory, and statistical inference using both frequentist (hypothesis tests and confidence intervals) and Bayesian approaches, regression, prediction, analyses of variance, and resampling techniques including bootstrapping. Particular emphasis is placed on design choices for reproducible research. Lectures are interactive, using the R programming language. No prior programming experience is required. Prerequisite(s): one 100-level course in biology, neuroscience, or psychology. Not open to students who have received credit for BIO 244 or PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 39. [QF] M. Greene.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
NRSC 208. Neuroscience, Ethics, and Society.
As our ability to measure, predict, and manipulate brain function progresses, so too does our need to grapple with the societal consequences of neuroscientific discovery. This course invites critical examination of the ethics surrounding real-world neuroscience applications in private and public sectors. With topics that include psychopharmacology and cognitive liberty, neuroimaging for lie detection, weaponization of neurotechnology, and neuroprivacy in an era of data mining, students engage two overarching questions: How does the practice of neuroscience simultaneously mirror and mold social attitudes and policy-making agendas? What does it mean to be a responsible consumer and/or producer of neuroscientific knowledge? Prerequisite(s): one of the following: NRSC 130, NS/PH 117, NS/PY 160, or PSYC 215. Not open to students who have received credit for NRSC s20. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. [AC] M. Greene.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
NRSC 209. Neural Codes: The Language of Thought.
Although a central tenet of neuroscience is that information about the world in encoded in the patterns of neural firing, it is increasingly acknowledged that our assumptions about these patterns make qualitatively different predictions about neural function. This course examines major hypotheses related to information coding by individual neurons and populations of neurons. Specific themes include rate coding versus time-based codes, sparse versus dense codes, and the relationship between brain responses and the statistics of their inputs. Students examine biological data and artificial models to assess how various encoding schemes might produce skillful behavioral responses. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160. Enrollment limited to 29. [QF] [SR] M. Greene.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
DC/NS 240. Neural Networks.
Biological intelligence is characterized by selecting, processing, and storing information while flexibly adapting to changing conditions. How might biology inspire "smart" algorithms? This course explores the fundamental principles of artificial neural networks (ANNs). Students begin with modeling learning in a single computational unit (McCulloch-Pitts neuron), and then examine how many simple units can collectively give rise to complex behaviors. They examine both supervised networks that learn a predetermined input-output relationship, and unsupervised networks that learn "suspicious coincidences" from the input data. They implement neural networks with Python (previous experience is helpful but not necessary). Prerequisite(s), which may be taken concurrently: NS/PY 160. Recommended background: Experience with Python programming (such as from a 100-level DCS course) would be helpful, but is not strictly required. Enrollment limited to 29. Normally offered every other year. [Q] M. Greene.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 250. Biopsychology of Motivation and Emotion.
The course examines the mechanisms involved in activating and directing behavior and in forming, expressing, and perceiving emotions. Analysis includes evaluation of the role of physiological, environmental, and cognitive variables in mediating the behavioral processes such as thirst, hunger, sex, arousal, reward, stress, choice, consistency, and achievement. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or PSYC 101. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 29. (Psychology: Biological.) Staff.NS/PY 304. Embodied Cognition, Technoculture, and the Future of Identity.
Whereas much of cognitive neuroscience positions the mind as an emergent property of disembodied neural processing, newer theories of embodied mind understand cognition as collective work shared by brain, body, and environment. Traditional notions of cognition are further destabilized when we account for the potential of technology to reshape the distinctions among these domains. With acknowledgment of embodiment and embeddedness as fellow operators of mind, neuroscience must consider how the brain interacts with and is impacted by social inequality and body politics of gender, sexuality, race, and ability. Drawing upon scientific, theoretical, and literary texts, students contemplate current and future possibilities for biology and culture to co-construct identity. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: AF/AM 119, ENG 395I, INDS 267, NRSC 130, NS/PY 160, or PSYC 215. Only open to juniors and seniors. Enrollment limited to 15. [AC] [CP] N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
BI/NS 305. Gene Editing in Biology and Neuroscience.
The development of genome editing techniques by molecular biologists has raised great hopes that a treatment for genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s disease might finally be available. In this course, students analyze how genome editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9 have evolved, how they can be applied to study the role of individual genes or to alter mutant genes, and what approaches exist for the delivery of DNA-modifying enzymes into an organism. In addition, students use scientific publications and popular literature to discuss ethical implications of usage of genome editing techniques for society. Prerequisite(s): BIO 242, or BIO 195 and 202. Enrollment limited to 15. [QF] [S] [SR] M. Kruse.BI/NS 308. Neurobiology.
An introduction to the molecular and cellular principles of neurobiology and the organization of neurons into networks. Also investigated are developmental and synaptic plasticity, analysis of signaling pathways in cells of the nervous system, and the development of neurobiological research, from studies on invertebrate systems to usage of stem cell-derived brain organoids and gene-editing techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9. Laboratories include analysis of nerve cell activity, computer simulation and modeling, and the use of molecular techniques in neurobiology. Prerequisite(s): BIO 242, or BIO 195 and 202. The course may be offered with a lab in some semesters; this is indicated in the Schedule of Courses. Enrollment limited to 12 per laboratory section. Normally offered every year. [L] [Q] [QF] [S] [SR] M. Kruse.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 319. Physiological Profiles of Mental Illness.
This course examines the physiology associated with a range of mental illnesses. Biological methods (e.g., neuroscience, autonomic psychophysiology) are used to explore the physiological underpinnings of mood, anxiety, psychotic, personality, and other psychological disorders. Clinical implications are discussed including evaluating the utility of incorporating physiological measurement into diagnosis and treatment of psychopathology. Prerequisite(s): PSYC 218 or 235. Enrollment limited to 19. (Psychology: Biological.) Normally offered every year. K. Low.CH/NS 320. Mechanisms of Memory.
This course engages students in ideas from the fields of neuroscience, chemistry, biology, and psychology to understand on a chemical level how memory is stored and recalled in the human brain. Using seminal experiments as a foundation, students differentiate between “learning” and “memory” and connect model systems from the molecule all the way to behavior. Multimodal assignments explore the broad scope of experimental design and the cutting-edge subtleties of what it means to store and access information in the brain. Prerequisite(s): BIO 242, or BIO 202 and 204; and CHEM 217. Enrollment limited to 39. [CP] [HS] [S] A. Kennedy.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 330. Cognitive Neuroscience/Lab.
This course explores how the neurological organization of the brain influences the way people think and act. Particular emphasis is given to the brain systems that support object recognition, spatial processing, attention, language, memory, and executive functions. Students also investigate clinical syndromes and unusual cognitive phenomena. A wide range of research techniques is introduced, including positron emission topography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, neuropsychological assessment, event-related potentials, magnetoencephalography, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: NS/PY 160 or 363 or PSYC 215, 222, or 230. Not open to students who have received credit for NS/PY 331. Enrollment limited to 39. (Psychology: Biological.) Normally offered every year. [L] [SR] N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 331. Cognitive Neuroscience.
This course explores how the neurological organization of the brain influences the way people think and act. Particular emphasis is given to the brain systems that support object recognition, spatial processing, attention, language, memory, and executive functions. Students also investigate clinical syndromes and unusual cognitive phenomena. A wide range of research techniques is introduced, including positron emission topography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, neuropsychological assessment, event-related potentials, magnetoencephalography, and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or 200 or 363 or PSYC 215, 222, or 230. Not open to students who have received credit for NS/PY 330. Enrollment limited to 39. (Psychology: Biological.) N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 357. Computational Neuroscience.
In this course, students examine formal models of brain function to determine how neurons give rise to thought. Examining real datasets, students explore how the brain encodes and represents information at cellular, network, and systems scales, and they discuss ideas about why the brain is organized as it is. Specific topics include spike statistics, reverse correlation and linear models of encoding, dimensionality reduction, cortical oscillations, neural networks, and algorithms for learning and memory. All assignments and most class work emphasizes computer programming in Python, though no programming background is assumed or expected. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160. Enrollment limited to 15. Normally offered every year. [L] [Q] [QF] [S] [SR] M. Greene.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NRSC 360. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair are required. Students may register for no more than one independent study per semester. Normally offered every semester. Staff.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
NS/PY 361. Topics in Affective Neuroscience.
This seminar examines recent advances in the interdisciplinary field of affective neuroscience. Topics include methodology, cognitive components of emotion, emotion in personality and temperament, neuroscience of positive and negative affect, moral emotions, unconscious emotions, evolutionary perspectives of affect, emotion dysregulation and psychopathology, as well as neuroethics and neurolaw. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or PSYC 215. Not open to first-year students or sophomores. Enrollment limited to 15. [HS] N. Koven.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 362. Psychopharmacology.
This course examines the effects that drugs have on human behavior, including the ability to cause addiction as well as treat a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions. By exploring how drugs alter neurotransmitters, students better understand how the brain mediates cognition, emotion, and sensorimotor functioning. Strategies, techniques, and challenges of psychopharmacological research are addressed, and new approaches to drug discovery are covered in depth. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: NS/PY 160, 319, 330, or 331; or PSYC 215, 302, or 305. Enrollment limited to 29. (Psychology: Biological.) [SR] Staff.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 363. Physiological Psychology/Lab.
The course is an introduction to the concepts and methods used in the study of physiological mechanisms underlying behavior. Topics include an introduction to neurophysiology and neuroanatomy; an examination of sensory and motor mechanisms; and the physiological bases of ingestion, sexual behavior, reinforcement, learning, memory, and abnormal behavior. Laboratory work includes examination of neuroanatomy, development of neurosurgical and histological skills, and behavioral testing of rodents. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or BI/NS 308. Not open to students who have received credit for NS/PY 366. Enrollment limited to 29. (Psychology: Biological.) Normally offered every year. [L] [QF] [SR] J. Castro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 366. Physiological Psychology.
The course is an introduction to the concepts and methods used in the study of physiological mechanisms underlying behavior. Topics include an introduction to neurophysiology and neuroanatomy; an examination of sensory and motor mechanisms; and the physiological bases of ingestion, sexual behavior, reinforcement, learning, memory, and abnormal behavior. Prerequisite(s): BI/NS 308, NS/PY 160, or PSYC 215. Not open to students who have received credit for NS/PY 363. Enrollment limited to 29. (Community-Engaged Learning.) (Psychology: Biological.) Normally offered every year. J. Castro.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NS/PY 382. Cultural Neuroscience.
Cultural neuroscience is an interdisciplinary field of research that seeks to understand the interrelation of culture, brain, and behavior. This rapidly advancing discipline investigates how environment, beliefs, and traditions shape human cognitive function and, in turn, how foundational neural mechanisms impact sociocultural processes. In this seminar, students review and discuss the theoretical and empirical literature addressing cross-cultural research on attention, autobiographical memory, emotion, intergroup dynamics, and social conflict. Students develop a nuanced understanding of neuroimaging measures applied cross-culturally and critically evaluate a body of research that attempts to address "real-world" scenarios. Prerequisite(s): one of the following: AS/PY 260, NRSC 130, NS/PY 160, PSYC 215, or PY/SO 210. Enrollment limited to 15. (Psychology: IDEA.) Staff.NS/PY 399. Junior-Senior Seminar in Biological Psychology.
A course designed to give junior and senior majors an opportunity to explore a significant new area in biological psychology. Topics change from year to year and with the expertise of the faculty member. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160. Only open to juniors and seniors. Enrollment limited to 15. [QF] [SR] J. Castro.NRSC 457. Capstone Thesis in Neuroscience.
Open to senior majors with permission of the program faculty. A neuroscience thesis involves independent laboratory research on a topic broadly related to neuroscience. This may take the form of a one- or two-semester project conducted under the supervision of a Bates faculty member, or participation in a summer neuroscience-related research internship off-campus that culminates in data analysis and writing during the fall semester. With the latter option, students take responsibility for finding and securing a summer research position in neuroscience that involves some form of data collection, and students must also secure permission from the summer research mentor to bring data back to Bates for analysis and write-up. Students register for NRSC 457 in the fall semester and/or for NRSC 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both NRSC 457 and 458. Enrollment limited to 19. Instructor permission is required. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
NRSC 458. Capstone Thesis in Neuroscience.
Open to senior majors with permission of the program faculty. A neuroscience thesis involves independent laboratory research on a topic broadly related to neuroscience. This may take the form of a one- or two-semester project conducted under the supervision of a Bates faculty member. Students register for NRSC 457 in the fall semester and/or for NRSC 458 in the winter semester. Majors writing an honors thesis register for both NRSC 457 and 458. Enrollment limited to 19. Instructor permission is required. [W3] Normally offered every year. Staff.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
NRSC 459. Community-Engaged Learning Capstone.
Open to senior majors with permission of the program faculty, this capstone involves creative collaboration with a campus or community partner to produce a body of neuroscience-related work that benefits that partner. Students complete fifty to sixty hours of work in a campus/community placement and engage in structured writing exercises specific to the placement. Students may wish to consult with the Harward Center for Community Partnerships as they develop their project; the project is subject to approval by the neuroscience faculty. Enrollment limited to 19. Instructor permission is required. [W3] Normally offered every semester. Staff.NRSC 462. Capstone Seminar on Computational Neuroscience.
Open to seniors with permission of the program faculty, this seminar applies quantitative techniques and formalisms to investigate neural data and to model neural phenomena. The seminar focuses on the computational analysis of high-dimensional data sets charting gene expression throughout the brain, with the goal of understanding the functional and hierarchical organization of brain systems. Students first learn essential computer programming and analysis techniques, and then work in teams to propose and investigate a topic of their choosing. Specific topics include the high-throughput analysis of brain tissue using in situ hybridization, image processing, clustering, and dimensionality reduction. The course also includes professional development and discussions with practitioners. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 and either BIO 244, NRSC 205, or PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. [W3] [QF] [SR] J. Castro.NS/PY 463. Capstone Seminar on Human Cognitive Neuroscience.
Open to seniors with permission of the program faculty, this seminar focuses on the end-to-end process of scientific discovery using the tools of human cognitive neuroscience. Students work in groups to uncover an open empirical question in the areas of perception, attention, or memory, then design and execute an experiment aimed at answering this question using electroencephalography or eye tracking in human subjects. Students gain experience in modern data analysis techniques including multivariate pattern analysis, time-frequency analysis, image processing, and representational similarity analysis. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 and either BIO 244, NRSC 205, or PSYC 218. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. [W3] [CP] [SR] M. Greene.NS/PY 464. Capstone Seminar in Systems Neuroscience.
Open to seniors with permission of the program faculty, in this seminar investigates the mouse olfactory bulb, with the goal of testing student-designed hypotheses on this structure's molecular and functional organization. Students use a wide interdisciplinary set of approaches to interrogate olfactory circuits at cellular scale, including electrical recordings, imaging, histology, modeling, and informatics. Additional features of the course include training in research design, data analysis using MATLAB, instruction in proposal writing and science writing and professional development. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 and one of the following: BI/NS 308, NS/PY 330, 357, or 363. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. [W3] [QF] [SR] J. Castro.NRSC 465. Capstone Seminar on Experimental Neuropsychology.
Experimental neuropsychology uses empirical methods to study processes of the human nervous system in relation to cognition and affect across contexts of mental health and illness. This seminar focuses on clinical neuropsychological assessment as a means to understand neuropsychiatric conditions at an endophenotypic level, with particular emphasis on characterizing intermediate cognitive and affective mechanisms that give rise to psychopathology. Students work in groups to test novel hypotheses using human subjects and, through the research process, learn methods of neuropsychological evaluation. Additional features of the course include research ethics training and certification, multivariate data analysis, scientific writing in APA style, and professional development. Prerequisite(s): NS/PY 160 or PSYC 215; and BIO 244, NRSC 205, or PSYC 218. Only open to seniors. Enrollment limited to 12. Instructor permission is required. [W3] Normally offered every other year. N. Koven.NRSC s20. Neuroscience, Ethics, and Society.
As our ability to measure, predict, and manipulate brain function progresses, so too does our need to grapple with the societal consequences of neuroscientific discovery. This course invites critical examination of the ethics surrounding real-world neuroscience applications in private and public sectors. With topics that include psychopharmacology and cognitive liberty, neuroimaging for lie detection, weaponization of neurotechnology, and neuroprivacy in an era of data mining, students engage two overarching questions: How does the practice of neuroscience simultaneously mirror and mold social attitudes and policy-making agendas? What does it mean to be a responsible consumer and/or producer of neuroscientific knowledge? Prerequisite(s): one of the following: NRSC 130, 205, NS/PH 117, NS/PY 160, or PSYC 215. Not open to students who have received credit for NRSC 208. Open to first-year students. Enrollment limited to 30. M. Greene.ConcentrationsInterdisciplinary Programs
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)
CH/NS s34. The Genome.
We are all born with one. We all share one. We have a three-billion character book stuffed into each of our one quadrillion cells, so we should probably read it. In this course students spend two weeks on Mount Desert Island studying how the human genome was first sequenced, how individual genomes are now sequenced all the time, how we do it, how we map the reads, compare mutations, quantify how our genes are read, how seminal events in our lives trigger them to turn on, and how others are stored away when they are not. Prerequisite(s): CHEM 217 and BIO 204 or 242. Enrollment limited to 10. One-time offering. A. Kennedy.Concentrations
This course is referenced by the following General Education Concentrations
NRSC s50. Independent Study.
Students, in consultation with a faculty advisor, individually design and plan a course of study or research not offered in the curriculum. Course work includes a reflective component, evaluation, and completion of an agreed-upon product. Sponsorship by a faculty member in the program/department, a course prospectus, and permission of the chair is required. Students may register for no more than one independent study during a Short Term. Open to first-year students. Normally offered every year. Staff.Interdisciplinary Programs
This course counts toward the following Interdisciplinary Program(s)