Welcome to 755

Brain in health and disease Chris Elliott & Sean Sweeney Aim: describe the workings of the CNS

in health and disease Neurons Glia Blood vessels

See http://biolpc22.york.ac.uk/755

Synapses Learning & Memory

complementary module more cellular approach

what is cellular basis of synaptic function

how does this relate to learning how is memory stored and related to

our “conscious remembering” Gareth Evans, Sean Sweeney, Chris

Elliott

Reading

Purves, D et al 2008 Neuroscience 4th ed (Sinauer)

Most of my pictures come from this

Carlson NR (2010) Physiology of behaviour (10th ed) (Allyn & Bacon)

Diseases

Aim of the lecture

Techniques to study brain What makes a brain?

neurons glia synapses

neurotransmitters mammalian brain regions

Consciousness

Techniques for brain study

Anatomy post-mortem ?

Electrophysiology Extra - & Intracellular recording Electroencephalography DBS & TMS

Scanners PET & fMRI

Anatomical techniques Silver

stain/fluorescent label

Immunocytochemistry

deoxyglucose

Intracellular recording

Electroencephalography

EEG

DBS & TMS DBS (deep brain

stimulation) TMS (transcranial

magnetic stimulation)

transient stimulus or lesion by intense electromagnetic wave

Scanners CT scanners (X-rays) PET

inject positron-labelled H2O

accumulates labelled O2 or glucose

fMRI – resonance of haemoglobin affects nearby water depending on amount of O2 bound

Summary so far…

Properties of neurons accessible anatomically functionally even in humans

What makes a brain ?

Cells

Axon Dendrites Soma

Synapses

Molecular release of NT

Key neurotransmitters Acetylcholine – NMJ / heart / CNS Glutamate main excitatory NT GABA main inhibitory NT

glycine in spinal cord Adrenaline Dopamine Serotonin Any diseases ?

degenerative developmental

Glia

About 100 times more glial cells than neurons

Support neurons

Astrocytes form blood-brain barrier

Meninges Dura [hard] mater Arachnoid [spider-

like] pia [soft, gentle]

mater

meningitis ~ 9 new cases in UK+Ireland /day

Neurons

Why are neurons so interesting ? Fast signalling Specific connections Long distances

Key features: Need glia Ion channels Synaptic transmission

Summary so far…

Properties of neurons accessible anatomically functionally even in humans

Brain depends on neurons glia blood supply constant environment

Human CNS

Axes of human CNS

Planes of section

Lobes of the cortex

Sagital section

Brainstem

hippocampus

Spinal cord

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1093/icb/42.4.743?journalCode=icbi

cerebellumcerebral

hemispheres

olfactory bulb

medulla

optic tectum

Summary so far… Properties of neurons accessible Brain depends on …

Main parts of CNS cortex = cerebrum

highly developed in mammals, especially primates

midbrain brainstem spinal cord

How does brain activity link to movement?

Spinal cord

Feedback reflex

feedback reflexes

Motor cortex

motivated movement

Basal ganglia

timing of movement

Cerebellum

important in learned motor skills

Summary so far…

Properties of neurons accessible Brain depends on … Main parts of CNS Feedback control of movement

spinal cord cerebellum

Feedforward cortex basal ganglia

Consciousness?

Stages of Sleep

Sleep pattern

Sleep Dolphins can sleep

with L or R half- brain

Flies sleep roles for DA and 5-

HT

Sleep is necessary

Summary to end…

Properties of neurons accessible Brain depends on … Main parts of CNS Control of movement

Feedback Feedforward

Control of awareness

Thought for the day"Why does research take so long?“"Why is progress so slow?“"Why don't we have

effective therapies for these devastating diseases?"

http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/29/41/12722