Fundamentals of Neurological Disorders

Course Description:
Neurological disease is any disorder that directly or indirectly impacts the brain or spinal cord. These diseases can be genetically inherited or can be caused by exposure to environmental toxins or trauma. In the last 20 years, huge advances have been made in the genetic identification of the molecular basis of some of these diseases, and some of the mechanisms involved have been elucidated. This course will be focus on those disorders in which substantial mechanistic information has been obtained. The course is organized in such a manner that particular cellular mechanisms and the diseases associated with these mechanisms are focused upon in a given week.

Format:
The format of the course is didactic instruction from different instructors from the Department of Neurology at UCLA. The course will meet once a month for 1 hour. The course is open to post-doctoral fellows and graduate students in the Department of Neurology. It may be offered by the Neuroscience IDP in future years.

Learning Objective:
Upon completion of the course, students should have familiarity with the many mechanisms by which brain health might be impacted. Students will learn about mechanisms of protein aggregation, plasticity, inflammation, metabolism and imaging.

Evaluation Methods:
No grading. Time: 5:00-6:00pm. Location: NRB Auditorium.

• January 28, 2009: Protein Aggregation
  Instructor: Dr. Gal Bitan
   
• February 25th, 2009: Pathological Neuronal Plasticity, Part I (Trauma, Regeneration, Stroke)
  Instructor: Dr. Leif Havton
   
• March 25th, 2009: Pathological Neuronal Plasticity, Part II (Epilepsy, Depression, Schizophrenia)
  Instructor: Dr. Istvan Mody
   
• April 29th, 2009: Inflammation in the CNS
  Instructor: Dr. Rhonda Voskuhl
   
• May 27th, 2009: Brain Metabolism
  Instructor: Dr. Jeff Alger
   
• June 24th, 2009: Imaging Part I (Time Lapse Imaging)
  Instructors: Dr. David Shattuck
   
• July 29th, 2009: Axonal Degeneration and Demyelination
  Instructor: Dr. Seema Tiwari-Woodruff
   
• August 26th, 2009: Imaging Part II
  Instructor: Dr. Jack Van Horn and Dr. Elisabeth Sowell
   
• September 30th, 2009: Cerebrovascular Disorders
  Instructor: Drs. Andy Charles and KC Brennan
   
• October 28th, 2009: Channelopathies
  Instructor: Dr. Joanna Jen
   
• November 25th, 2009: Degenerative Disorders of Muscle
  Instructor: Dr. Melissa Spencer