Neuroscience & Behavior 331 - Glial Cells in Health and Disease

This course will explore the "other" cells in your brain, the glial cells. While neuronal cells receive most of the attention, glial cells are now recognized as essential players in normal brain physiology. Through the critical analysis of primary literature, we will highlight recent advances in glial cell biology and discuss how the various glial cell subtypes (astrocytes, microglia, myelinating cells, etc.) contribute to the healthy and diseased brain. We will examine the glial contribution to a variety of disorders (e.g. multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.) as we cultivate a better understanding of these often overlooked brain cells.

This course is offered to neuroscience majors only.; Prereq: NEURO-100 and BIOL-230.