1.  	Know the energy substrates utilized by the central 
nervous system.  How does energy utilization change as 
substrate availability changes?

2.  	Know the physiologic and behavioral responses to a 
decrease in glucose availability or O2 availability.  How does 
the nervous and neuroendocrine system interface with other 
organ systems to preserve neural function?

3.  	Know the functions of glial cells in the nervous 
system.  Know the role of glial cells in development and 
regeneration in the nervous system.

4.  	Describe transport/movement of material into and out of 
cells as well as into and out of the brain.   Know sites of 
specific transporters.

5.  	Describe the blood-brain barrier, blood-csf barrier and 
brain-csf barrier in detail.

6.  	Know the importance of Na+, K+, Ca++ and Cl- to 
membrane potential.  What information does the Nernst equation 
and the Goldman-Katz equation provide that points to the 
direction these ions might flow?

7.  	What effect does increasing extracellular K+ have on 
membrane potential?  What effect does decreasing extracellular 
K+ have on membrane potential?  Does Na+ have similar effects 
and why?

8.  	What effect does increasing extracellular Ca++ have on 
membrane potential?  What effect does decreasing extracellular 
Ca++ have on membrane potential?

9.  	Understand that passive membrane potential changes 
depolarize or hyperpolarize and summate.  Where would most 
channels for passive membrane potentials be located on the 
neuron?

10.  	What happens at threshold with regards to the action 
potential?  Where are most voltage-gated Na+ channels located?  
What is the significance to the cell?

11.  	What are refractory periods and what is their 
significance to conduction of the action potential?

12.  	Know effects of increased axon diameter and myelination 
on speed of conduction along the axon.  Understand the basic 
biophysics of this phenomenon.  

13.  	What types of synapses are there in the nervous system?

14. 	What is the significance of synaptic delay and why does 
it occur?

15. 	Know the mechanisms that result in channels opening 
after binding of a ligand to its receptor.  Direct coupling and 
second messenger coupling are important.  What 
advantages/disadvantages does each have to cell signaling and 
cell function?

16. 	Know the role of Ca++ in the synaptic bouton relative 
to neurotransmitter release.  How is Ca++ involved in the SNARE 
Hypothesis?

17. 	What effect does increasing/decreasing Na+ permeability 
have on membrane potential?   Increasing/decreasing K+ 
permeability?  Increasing/decreasing Ca++permeability?  
Increasing/decreasing Cl- permeability?

18.	Know the types of neurotransmitters.  How can levels of 
neurotransmitters be manipulated experimentally?

19.	What is neurotransmitter colocalization?  How does this 
affect release?

20.	Know the mechanisms to terminate a neurotransmitter 
signal.  What is the significance of this to experimental or 
clinical applications?

21.	Know how sensory receptors are activated.  What does 
increased firing rate signify?  What is adaptation? 

22.	What central mechanisms are employed to focus sensory 
information? To amplify sensory information?

23.	Know that nociception (pain) is a response to tissue 
damage.  Understand the basis for the following:

a.	Fast vs slow
b.	Referred pain/phantom sensation
c.	Neurotransmitters important to nociception and analgesia

24.	Know the muscle spindle and golgi tendon organ.  How 
are these critical to muscle contraction?

25.	Understand the following relative to sleep:

a.	Slow wave vs REM
b.	Ascending reticular activating system.
c.	Role of serotonin, hypocretin, and norepinephrine (in 
general).
d.	Change in REM with age, REM in carnivore vs herbivore.
e.	Narcolepsy, REM movement disorders, sleep apnea.
f.	Coma vs sleep.

26.	Understand the following relative to autonomic nervous 
system:
a.	Enteric, sympathetic and parasympathetic.
b.	Neurotransmitters in the sympathetic and 
parasympathetic preganglionics and postganglionics.
c.	Effects of sympathetic activation/inactivation on end 
organs.
d.	Effects of parasympathetic activation/inactivation on 
end organs.
e.	Autonomic tone
f.	Denervation sensitivity
g.	Autonomic reflexes.
i.	Baroreflex
ii.	Micturition reflex
iii.	Defecation reflex

28. 	 Limbic system:  Know signals monitored in following 
behaviors.
	a.  feeding and body weight regulation
	b.  drinking
	c.  thermoregulation
	d.  rhythmic behavior
	e.  sex behavior
	
29.  	Have general concept of how cerebellum works and its 
role in motor function and learning.

30. 	 Have general concept of how basal ganglia work and 
their role in motor function.

31.  	Understand how a system of inhibitory and excitatory 
populations of neurons ultimately result in excitation or 
inhibition of a group of cells.  How does this apply to 
cerebral cortex function?

32.  	Have a general concept of chemical control of 
regeneration and neurite outgrowth in the nervous system.  What 
factors inhibit neurite outgrowth in the CNS?

33.  	Understand how transplants and growth factors may 
contribute to recovery of CNS diseases.  What are some of the 
limitations of these therapies?

Week 1  (Edwards)
	Membrane Functions:  Passive Electrical Potentials

Week 2 (Edwards)
	Membrane Functions:  Action Potential
	
Week 3 (Edwards)
	Cerebrospinal Fluid
	Blood-Brain Barrier			

Week 4  (Coffield)
	Synaptic Function:  Neurotransmitter Release
	
Week 5  (Coffield)
	Synaptic Function:  Neurotransmitter Release	
	Exam I

Week 6  (Edwards)				
	Synaptic Function:  Receptor Function			

Week 7  (Edwards)
	Receptor Function (Molecular Analysis of Neural
        Function)
	
Week 8  (Edwards)
	Plasticity/Regeneration
	
Week 9 (Edwards)
	Integrative Functions (Enteric Nervous System)

Week 10  (Edwards)
	Integrative Function (Spinal Cord)		
	Exam II

Week 11  (Edwards)
	Integrative Function (Brainstem)

Week 12 (Edwards)
	Integrative Function (Brainstem)

Week 13  (Edwards)
	Integrative Function (Limbic System)

Week 14  (Edwards)
	Integrative Function (Limbic System)

Week 15  (Edwards)
	Integrative Function (Cortex)				

Finals Week 			Exam III