Neuroscience — Related Courses at the University of Kentucky

This list was compiled by soliciting information from course directors and by reviewing course catalogs. If you see a class that interests you, please refer to the course catalog or contact the course director for more information and to see when the course is offered. Since this list is likely not complete, if you wish to have a course added or non-existent course deleted or text altered, please contact the BGSFN president.

Course listing available as a PDF (Adobe Reader)

100 Level Courses

PSY 100 INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY. (4): An introduction to the study of behavior covering theories, methods and findings of research in major areas of psychology. Topics covered will include the biological foundations of behavior; learning, perception, motivation, personality; developmental, abnormal, and social behavior; and methods of assessment. This course is a prerequisite to a significant number of courses in this and related areas of study. Lecture, three hours; laboratory/discussion, two hours.

200 Level Courses

PSY 215 EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. (4): A study of the application of scientific methods to psychological research. Special emphasis is placed on the critical evaluation of contemporary research in experimental psychology. Particular attention is focused on the design, execution, and written report of laboratory research. Lecture, three hours; laboratory, two hours. Prereq: PSY 100 and PSY major or PSY minor, or consent of instructor.
PSY 223 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. (3): An introduction to the principles of developmental psychology as seen in human growth over the entire lifespan, with the primary focus on infancy through adolescence. Emphasis is placed on theory and data relating to the developmental aspects of cognition, language and personality. Prereq: PSY 100 or equivalent.

300 Level Courses

PSY 311 LEARNING AND COGNITION. (3): Theory and experimental techniques in the study of learning and cognition. Emphasis on research in the biological basis of learning, perceptual processing, classical conditioning, instrumental conditioning, memory, and language. Prereq: PSY 100 and PSY 215 or 216.
PSY 312 BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR.: The goal of this course is to provide undergraduate students with a first examination of the gross anatomy and physiology of central nervous system with emphasis on behavioral pathologies related to CNS function.
Contact: Dr. Mark Prendergast

400 Level Courses

PSY 427 COGNITIVE PROCESSES. (4): A general introduction to cognitive psychology through lecture and lab. Emphasis is placed on theory and research in information processing, memory, decision-making, language and the means by which cognitive psychology is applied to our lives. The lab is designed to provide an opportunity for individualized experience with research equipment and methodology in cognitive psychology. Lecture, three hours per week; laboratory, two hours per week. Prereq: Declared major in Psychology, PSY 215, 216, and 311.
PSY 450 LEARNING. (4): The contemporary theoretical and empirical bases of conditioning and learning in humans and nonhumans will be studied through an integration of lectures and intensive, hands-on laboratory experiences. Lecture, three hours per week; laboratory, two hours per week. Prereq: Declared major in psychology, PSY 215, 216, and 311.
PSY 456 BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE. (4): An intensive investigation of the neural basis of behavior using an integrated lecture and laboratory format. Principles of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neuropharmacology are applied to behavioral processes such as perception, movement, learning, motivation and emotion. Lecture, three hours per week; laboratory, two hours per week. Prereq: Declared major in Psychology, PSY 215, 216, 312, BIO 103, or consent of instructor.
PSY 459 DRUGS AND BEHAVIOR.: The purpose of this course is to examine general principles of drug action with emphasis on the behavioral and physiological effects of drugs. Major emphasis is on recreational drugs encountered in experimental, clinical and social settings.
Contact: Dr. Mark Prendergast

500 Level Courses

BIO 507 BIOLOGY OF SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS. (3): This course provides an introduction to the fields of sleep and circadian rhythms including the underlying neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and the molecular and genetic underpinnings of sleep and circadian behaviors. The medical and societal relevance of these areas will also be emphasized. Considerable time will be spent reading and analyzing the primary literature in these fields, including student presentations of selected articles. Prereq: BIO 304; BIO 315; BIO 350 (or equivalent).
ANA 516 SELECTED TOPICS IN ADVANCED NEUROSCIENCE. (3): This course will cover advanced topics in neuroscience. Topics include: neural pathways, development, neuroanatomy, neurobiochemistry, neuropharmacology, neural imaging and molecular neuroscience. Laboratory experiences will be used to complement lectures. Prereq: ANA 511, 512, 513; PGY 511; and enrollment in the College of Medicine or a graduate program in the bio-medical sciences. In addition, students from graduate programs outside of anatomy must obtain the consent of the course director before registration.
BIO 535/ PGY 535 COMPARATIVE NEUROBIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR.: An introduction to how nervous systems function at both the cellular and systems level. Cell signaling, and how those signals are interpreted by the organism to guide behavioral decisions, is emphasized. Taught in the spring semester of odd-numbered years.
Contact: Dr. Liz Debski
BIO 556 COMMUNICATION BIOLOGY. (3): Animals sense and respond to numerous signals from their environment by using sensory modalities attuned to visual, auditory, chemical, and electromagnetic cues. This course is an in-depth examination of the physiological bases of sensory input and the interactive, motor system-mediated, behavioral repertoires exhibited by different species in response to such inputs. Prereq: BIO 325 or BIO 350.
PSY 558 BIOLOGY OF MOTIVATION. (3): An examination of the causes of human and nonhuman behavior from a biological perspective. Special attention is paid to the interaction between genetic inheritance, individual experience, and physiological state in the control of the appetitive and consummatory behaviors. Prereq: PSY 215 and BIO 103, or BIO 150 or equivalent.
PSY 565 ADVANCED TOPICS IN NEUROSCIENCE: BIOLOGY OF MOTIVATION.: The purpose of this course is to provide an examination of the causes of goal-directed human and nonhuman behavior from a biological perspective. Special attention will be paid to the interaction between genetic inheritance, individual experience, and physiological state in the control of the:(1) Theories of evolution as it relates to goal-directed behavior; (2) recreational drug use; (3) sexual/reproductive behavior; (4) consummatory behavior (eating and drinking) (5) some aspects of crime.
Contact: Dr. Mark Prendergast

600 Level Courses

PGY 605/ ANA 605 NEUROBIOLOGY OF CNS INJURY AND REPAIR.: The objective of the course will be to provide a general overview of the current state of knowledge concerning the pathophysiology and therapeutic approaches to central nervous system injury. The course will provide a strong working background concerning the issues, techniques and frontiers of neurotrauma therapeutic discovery research aimed at reducing acute post-traumatic neurodegeneration in the injured brain or spinal cord or enabling regeneration and repair. This course is a graduate level course intended for students who are in their second or subsequent years of graduate study and who are pursuing focused research training in neurotrauma research. No special prerequisites, other than graduate standing, are necessary. However, a background in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology is highly recommended. Prereq: Permission of instructor.
GRN 612/ ANA 612/ PGY 612/ BIO 612 BIOLOGY OF AGING.: Global Course Objectives
The general objectives of this course are to: 1) Obtain a knowledge of the salient age related changes in physiological functions of humans from the cellular to the total organism level. This will include pathophysiologic manifestations where applicable. 2) Apply that knowledge toward a holistic understanding of the aging process.
Course Description
The course will be organized utilizing a systems approach to presentations, class discussions, class readings, and on-line discussions. All in-class presentations will include preparatory readings, and students are expected to play active roles by asking questions and by participating in classroom discussions. This class is primarily focused on the Biology of Aging, but the student will be required to generally recognize and discuss the outcomes of these biological changes in terms of the effects on the individual, particularly in terms of physical function, but also in terms of psychosocial effects.
Contact: Dr. Rodney Guttmann
PHA 617 PHYSIOLOGICAL GENOMICS.: The study of function by global analysis of gene expression. Teaches the concepts, techniques, and functional significance of analyzing gene expression patterns. The technical emphasis is on the design and analysis of DNA microarray experiments.
Contact: Drs. McClintock or Chen
BIO 621 (SPECIAL TOPICS COURSES) MEMBRANE BIOPHYSICS (ION CHANNEL FUNCTION).: Prereq: Calculus 1 and a physiology course that covered general neuronal function are required.
PHA 622 MOLECULAR DRUG TARGETS AND THERAPEUTICS.: This course is separated into four individual 1 credit sections:
PHA 622 section 001-Cardiovascular Pharmacology
PHA 622 section 002-Neuropharmacology
PHA 622 section 003-Chemotherapeutic Agents
PHA 622 section 004-Autocoids and Endocrine Pharmacology and Toxicology

Each section is designed to be a separate one hour course. Students may take one section, or any combination of sections. Section PHA-622-002, Neuropharmacology, will cover therapeutic agents that interact with the central nervous system. For each agent, emphasis will be placed on therapeutic uses, the cellular mechanisms of action, the receptors or cellular targets at which they act, and potential toxicities. PHA622-002is usually held over a four week period in February and March.
Contact: PHA 622 course coordinator, Dr. Michael Piascik (mtp@uky.edu) or PHA622-002 section director, Dr. Chris Norris (cnorr2@uky.edu).
ANA 625 INTRODUCTION TO FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING. (1): Offered every OTHER Fall (will next be offered in 2010)
This course is designed to provide hands-on practical experience to students, scientific staff or faculty interested in learning to use this brain imaging technique as a research tool. The lectures, labs, assignments and quizzes in this course will focus on the mechanics of designing, executing, analyzing and interpreting fMRI studies. Brief theoretical background of the technique is also provided.
Contact: Dr. Jane Joseph
PSY 627/ PGY 627 PROSEMINAR IN PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY. (3) Meets this fall, Wed noon-2:30: This class provides an introduction to structural and functional characteristics of the nervous system. The emphasis is on exploring the relationship between brain and behavior. Topics range from simple brain structures and behaviors to more complex functions such as drug addiction and other psychiatric illnesses. The biological basis of normal and abnormal behavior is explored from a multidisciplinary perspective.
Contact: Dr. Michael Bardo
ANA 636 ADVANCED NEUROANATOMY. (3-5): The objectives include specific and detailed correlation of microscopic and ultrastructural morphology of structures in the nervous system with function of these structures. Emphasis will be placed on structure-function relationships, neurotransmitters, chemical constituents of the nervous system, neuronal as well as non-neuronal cells, plasticity of the nervous system and developmental biology. The detailed content and emphasis will depend on both the background and goals of the students. Depending on number of credits a student registers for, and the topic and course orientation, laboratory work, library work, written and/or oral presentations may be a course requirement. Prereq: ANA 511, 512, 513, 516, or equivalents, or consent of instructor.
BIO 638/ ANA 638/ PSY 638/ PGY 638 DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY: An exploration of the processes which contribute to the construction of a functioning nervous system. Emphasis is on cellular and molecular approaches to investigate such things as cell proliferation and differentiation, neuronal pathfinding and synapse formation. Taught in the fall semester of odd-numbered years.
Contact Dr. Liz Debski
PT 655 NEUROMOTOR DEVELOPMENT. (3): This is an advanced course on normal neuromotor development and the deviations from normal with emphasis on the infant. Prereq: Consent of instructor.
PHA 658 ADVANCED NEUROPHARMACOLOGY. (2): A study of the general theories of the mode of action of drugs upon nervous tissue and a review of the effects of analgesics, sedatives, hypnotics, anesthetics, tranquilizers, psychotomimetics, analeptics, antidepressants, anti-convulsants and drugs affecting motor dyskinesias upon neurons, synapses and functional components of the central nervous system. Prereq: PHA 522, IBS 601-606, or consent of instructor.

700 Level Courses

PHA 710 AGING OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. (3): This course will examine the alterations in the brain that occur with aging and in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. The course will examine aging at several levels, including molecular, cellular, organismic, and behavioral.
Contact: Dr. Greg Gerhardt
RHB 710 NEUROPLASTICITY IN REHABILITATION. (2): This course will examine the neurological principles utilized by each of the rehabilitation disciplines (PT, OT, SLP) in the context of current research data and determine whether these principles hold up to scientific examination. The format of this course will utilize formal lectures on current theories of neuroplasticity and class discussion on current literature in each of these areas. Case studies will be utilized to apply current theories to practical application within each of the listed disciplines. Prereq: Course in Neuroanatomy, Admission to the Rehabilitation Sciences Doctoral Program or by consent of the instructor.
NUR 722 CLINICAL TOPICS IN ADVANCED PRACTICE PSYCHIATRIC MENTAL HEALTH NURSING. (3): The focus of this course is on concepts, theories and research underlying advanced practice psychiatric nursing (APPN). The four functions of the APPN - psychotherapy, psychobiological interventions, clinical supervision, and consultation - within the context of ethical decision-making are emphasized. Epidemiology, definitions, and classification models for mental health and mental illness are explored as a base for clinical decision making in advanced psychiatric nursing practice. Psychological, social and cultural influences on coping responses of individuals and families across the lifespan, groups, and communities for people/populations at risk are explored. Intervention models including prevention and models incorporating psychiatric and physical co-morbidities are introduced. Prereq: MHA students admitted to Graduate Certificate in Nursing Studies; NUR 514 for students admitted to graduate nursing program; or consent of instructor.
NUR 723 ADVANCED PRACTICE PSYCHIATRIC NURSING I. (6): This course provides the opportunity for study of conceptual frameworks, theories, and research findings in clinical practice. The course focuses on the psychotherapy, psychobiological and supervision functions of the Advanced Practice Psychiatric nurse. Expansion of practice, the scope of primary prevention, biological and pharmacological theories, and psychotherapy model for interventions with clients, families, and the community are emphasized. Clinical experiences and sites will reflect multicultural concerns and emerging trends in the delivery of psychiatric care. During clinical experiences, comprehensive psychiatric assessments, diagnosis of common psychiatric illnesses, and co-occurring physical and substance abuse problems, and interventions will be practiced. Supervision as a function of the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse is incorporated in clinical work. Prereq: NUR 722, enrollment in the graduate program in nursing or consent of instructor. Co-requisite: NUR 631.
NUR 724 ADVANCED PRACTICE PSYCHIATRIC NURSING II. (4): This course builds on knowledge and skills acquired in NUR 723 (Practicum I) and provides the student with the opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge acquired in other course work. Theory of group therapy structure and process, practice models, and collaboration with mental health consumer/advocacy groups are introduced and emphasized to fit with emerging health care delivery systems. Mental health policy and practice implications are reviewed as well as the fiscal consequences of public policy on mental health service delivery. Diagnosis of common physical illnesses that mimic psychiatric illness and common psychiatric symptoms that occur in physical illness are studied. Ethical dilemmas in practice are studied. Prereq: NUR 723, NUR 652, enrollment in the graduate program or consent of the instructor. Co-requisite: NUR 605.
RHB 750 AGING AND ADULT NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS: ASSESSMENT. (3): This interdisciplinary course prepares the student to assess functional abilities in the adult with a neuromotor disorder. The student will learn functional assessment strategies for motor control, cognition, communication, feeding, swallowing, and activities of daily living (ADL) for adults with neuromotor disorders. Prereq: Admission to the Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D. program or consent of instructor.
RHB 752 AGING AND ADULT NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS: INTERVENTION. (3): This course provides an interdisciplinary view of management of the rehabilitation needs of the adult with a neuromotor disorder. The course will concentrate on ways to maximize independence in functional activities and improve the quality of life in this population of adults. Prereq: Admission to the Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D. program or consent of instructor.
RHB 760 ASSESSMENT OF MOVEMENT DYSFUNCTION. (3): An introduction to the normal and abnormal movement patterns and its relationship to dysfunction in individuals from birth to advanced age. Topics include theories of motor programming, skill acquisition and maturation; assessment of movement patterns (normal) and abnormal (dysfunction) and theories of interventions to impact movement strategies. Prereq: Admission to the Rehabilitation Sciences Ph.D. program or consent of instructor.
PSY 766 TOPICAL SEMINAR IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE AND PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES ON DEVELOPMENT (Fall only): Contact: Dr. Susan Barron

800 Level Courses

ANA 802 NEUROANATOMY FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS. (2): A concise account of the functional anatomy of the central nervous system. The anatomical organization is correlated with physiological activity. Emphasis is placed upon the morphological basis for progressively higher levels of control of activity from the simple reflex to voluntary motor activities controlled by the cerebral cortex. This type of knowledge is required for proper understanding and performance of physical therapy technicians in the treatment of medical and surgical disease.
PT 827 SPINAL CORD INJURY. (2): This course will apply material and techniques from prior classes to the acute and chronic treatment of the spinal cord injured individual. Use of evaluation skills, body mechanics, knowledge of anatomy and physiology and program planning will play major roles in the course. In addition, you will be encouraged to view the patient as a whole. Experiences will include patient demonstrations, videotapes, and personal experiences that will help you appreciate the lifestyle change that is inevitable after a severe injury. Prereq: Admission to the Physical Therapy professional program and successful completion of the first year.
PT 831 CLINICAL NEUROPHYSIOLOGY. (2): The study of the regional organization of the brain and spinal cord, the ways in which they connect and how these connectivities influence human behavior with emphasis on motor behavior. The effect of disease states on normal brain and spinal cord function will be discussed. Prereq: Admission to the Physical Therapy professional program and successful completion of the spring and summer semesters in the first year.

Bluegrass Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience