Neuronal Transduction and Transmission

1
Neuronal Transduction and Transmission This
is Part 1 of a series of two courses covering the
molecular mechanisms of signalling and plasticity
in the brain. The second part Neuronal
Plasticity and Gene Regulation follows in
spring term. Both courses offer a
cellular-molecular reductionism view of the
brain. It is worth therefore considering how far
such an approach may take us in understanding
how the brain does what it does. Is the brain
explained bottom-up by the sum of its parts
the sum of its molecular mechanisms? And even if
it is, are parts interchangeable? In other words,
does it really fundamentally matter which
specific mechanisms underlie brain
functions? The course puts the brain under the
microscope but we will also consider the much
bigger picture and hopefully help you to place
the cellular-molecular approach to the brain
into the broader context of more holistic
approaches.
2
Neuronal Transduction and Transmission NTT
TRANSDUCTION How information gets into the
brain TRANSMISSION How information passes from
neuron to neuron
3
Course will cover Mechanisms of Visual and
Auditory Sensory transduction
4
Course will cover Mechanisms of chemical and
electrical synaptic transmission