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This module provides an introduction to the production transmission and integration of signals within the nervous system. It will give you sufficient background in Cellular Neurophysiology to be able to pick up a copy of a review journal such as Trends in Neuroscience or Nature Reviews Neuroscience and find that the more "cellular" articles are now both interesting and accessible. Learning objectives and example questions are provided for each lecture.

The first third of the module introduces the more biophysical aspects of neuroscience. The middle group of lectures concerns neurotransmission and neurotransmitter systems. At the end of these students should know about the major classes of neurotransmitter molecules and their actions at synapses. The last third of the module consists of lectures on different topics of current interest in cellular neuroscience.

A series of 4 tutorials will support you in reading and analysing papers in Cellular Neurophysiology. Practicals on 1) The equivalent Circuit and Hodgkin Huxley simulations; 2) Extracellular Recordings from earthworm giant axon and 3) Recording locust muscle potentials will help you understand biophysical concepts that many Neuroscience students find difficult.

NEUR0007 Cellular Neurophysiology is compulsory for MSci/BSc Neuroscience students.

Indicative lecture topics:

Introduction to electricity

Techniques for studying ion channels and membrane currents

Structure and molecular biology of ion channels

Bioelectricity I: Diffusion, equilibrium and membrane potential

Bioelectricity II: Electrical signals and passive membrane properties

The action potential

Active transport in the nervous system

How neurones communicate: Gap junctions

Glial cells and homeostasis of the extracellular space

Neuronal calcium signalling

Synaptic transmission I - Presynaptic Mechanisms & II - Quantal release, Diffusion & Removal

Synaptic transmission III - Postsynaptic mechanisms

Modulation of Synaptic Transmission

Synaptic plasticity (2 lectures)

Optogenetics (2 lectures)