2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Life Science and Technology Department of Life Science and Technology Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
Advanced Neuroscience
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Life Science and Technology
- Instructor(s)
- Takashi Suzuki / Hiroshi Ichinose / Eizo Miyashita / Junji Hirota / Kumi Kuroda / Takako Yoshida / Takeo Saneyoshi
- Class Format
- Lecture (Livestream)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 1-2 Mon / 1-2 Thu
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- LST.A410
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Oct 20, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course begins with the study of the mechanisms underlying brain development, axonal growth, and neural circuit formation, which provide the foundation for higher brain functions. Next, we address sensory systems, examining the characteristics of sensory neurons and receptors, as well as information processing in sensory organs and the brain. We then explain how motor functions are controlled by brain information-processing systems, distinguishing between involuntary and voluntary movements. The course also covers the brain regions responsible for language, a uniquely human function, and introduces methods of non-invasive brain functional imaging. Finally, we present the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders resulting from brain dysfunction, including the latest findings on their mechanisms of onset.
As an advanced course building upon the lower-year class 'Basic Neuroscience,' this course also draws on the textbooks Principles of Neural Science (Kandel et al.) and Behavioral Neuroscience to provide an overview of both normal brain functions at a higher level and their disruption. In the first part, students will learn how, over the past two decades, numerous genes have been identified in the field of neuronal differentiation and circuit formation, and how interactions among proteins have clarified the behavior of neurons during development. The aim is to understand common principles that transcend species differences. Sensory perception—including vision, hearing, and touch—is the primary system through which organisms obtain information about the external world. Students will study the molecular properties of receptors that detect specific stimuli in each sense, as well as the transmission and processing of sensory information in organs and the brain, together with the landmark research that has revealed these mechanisms. In the domain of motor control, examples such as eye movements and locomotion will be used to illustrate the feedback mechanisms that mediate between sensory input and motor output in the control of everyday behavior. While the course up to this point focuses on normal brain function, the final part turns to dysfunction, exploring what kinds of diseases arise, what symptoms they produce, and how understanding the complex mechanisms underlying neurological disorders—currently a major social issue—can help us search for new avenues toward solutions.
Course description and aims
Neuroscience has made remarkable progress in recent years, leading to a deeper understanding of higher neural functions as well as psychiatric and neurological disorders. Building upon the foundations of neuroscience acquired in the basic neuroscience course, this class focuses on more complex higher brain functions and the molecular mechanisms underlying brain development. Furthermore, understanding the brain also means understanding the basis of our own consciousness and decision-making, making neuroscience a field with great potential contributions to society at large.
Specifically, the aims of this course are to foster comprehensive knowledge and prepare students with a conceptual 'index' to draw upon when facing neuroscience-related challenges in the future, through the study of:
(1) learning and memory, mood disorders, and neurogenesis,
(2) circuit formation, neural connectivity and convergence, and regeneration of the central nervous system,
(3) neurological diseases such as dementia and neurodegenerative disorders,
(4) individual behavior, the brainstem, and hypothalamus,
(5) coding of sensory information including vision, hearing, taste, and smell,
(6) motor functions and their control, including spinal reflexes, eye movements, locomotion, postural control, and voluntary movement.
Keywords
Brain, Nervous system, Neuronal Circuit formation, Synaptic Plasticity, Central nervous system regeneration, Sensory neurons, Receptors, Vision, Auditory system, Touch/Pain sensation, Smell, Taste, Reflection, Gaze movement, Locomotion, Voluntary movement, Involuntary movement, Language circuits, Neuronal disease, Learning and memory, Mental disorders
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
This class is a live-class provided by Zoom. In the first half of the class, a summary of the previous lecture will be provided followed by questions to emphasize the take-home message. In the last part, the main points will be discussed in detail. Students are asked to prepare for the class and review.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Learning and memory: hippocampus and mechanisms |
Understand the mechanisms of learning and memory, and the role of the hippocampus |
| Class 2 | Mood disorders - depression, bipolar disorder and pervasive Developmental Disorder |
Understand the pathophysiology of mood disorders, schizophrenia, and pervasive developmental disorders, as well as the mechanisms of action of drugs used in their treatment. |
| Class 3 | Neuronal development and behaviour1 - Pattern formation and differentiation of neurons |
Understand the processes of neuronal differentiation, considering the types of proteins and cellular processes. Will be able to explain the cell fate lineage by introducing transcription, asymmetric cell division and cell-cell communication. (Refer to the chapters 52, 53 in Principles of Neural Science.) |
| Class 4 | Neuronal development and behaviour2 - Axonal growth, synapse formation and refinement |
Understand how neuron can grow its axons, can recognize that it reached the target and form synapses, by introducing a number of proteins. (Refer to the chapters 54, 55 in Principles of Neural Science.) During development, synapses undergo refinement, which involves an activity-dependent competition and pruning. Explain the underlying mechanisms by molecular terms. (Refer to the chapters 56 in Principles of Neural Science.) |
| Class 5 | Neuronal development and behaviour3 - Refinement of synapses |
After development, the nervous system responds to the external environment by plastically modifying synapses. In addition, students will be able to explain the molecular mechanisms of neural regeneration. |
| Class 6 | Recent advances in the etiology of Parkinson's disease and neurodegenerative disorders |
Understand the mechanisms underlying the onset of Parkinson’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. |
| Class 7 | Dementia and Alzheimer's disease, the etiology of familial Alzheimer's disease. |
Understand the pathology of Alzheimer's disease and the etiology of familial Alzheimer's disease. |
| Class 8 | Behavior １ーIndividual behaviour and the nervous system |
Understand individual behavior and the neural control mechanisms |
| Class 9 | Behavior 2-- Behavioral regulation of brain stem and hypothalamus |
Understand the neural mechanisms required for life-sustaining functions (Ch 40, 41 of the Principles of Neural Science, 6th) |
| Class 10 | Formation of Perception – Coding of Perception and Vision |
Understand the logic and molecular mechanisms of sensory coding, and the control of vision. |
| Class 11 | ormation of perception – the molecular mechanisms underlying stimulus reception in auditory, olfactory, and gustatory systems (Kandel, Chapters 26–29, 6th ed.). |
Understand the molecular and neuronal mechanisms of hearing (auditory system), smell and taste. |
| Class 12 | Motion control 1: the organization of movement and spinal reflexes |
Understand the organization of movement as elements of input, output, and feedback, and the neural mechanism of spinal reflexes. (Refer to chapters 33 and 35 in Principles of Neural Science.) |
| Class 13 | Motion control 2: locomotion and posture control |
Understand the central pattern generator controlling locomotion and the mechanism of posture control in view of integration of multimodal sensory information. (Refer to chapters 36 and 41 in Principles of Neural Science.) |
| Class 14 | Motion control 3: voluntary movement |
Understand the neural mechanism of adaptive voluntary movement. (Refer to chapters 37 and 38 in Principles of Neural Science.) |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
-Eric R. Kandel et al., Principles of Neural Science,
Behavioral Neuroscience, Marc Breedlove, Neil V. Watson, Sinauer Associates Inc; 9th edition
Reference books, course materials, etc.
-Eric R. Kandel et al., Principles of Neural Science, Mc Graw Hill
-Bear MF, Connors BW, and Paradiso MA, "Neuroscience -Exploring the Brain-", Wolters Kluwer
-Liqun Luo, Principle of Neurobiology, CRC Press
Evaluation methods and criteria
Assessment will be based on short tests and/or written report assignments set by each lecturer.
Related courses
- LAH.T309 ： Linguistics C
- LST.A346 ： Basic Neuroscience
- HCB.M461 ： Laboratory Training on Human Brain Functions and Their Measurements
- LST.A243 ： Developmental Biology
- LST.A406 ： Molecular Developmental Biology and Evolution
Prerequisites
Students must have successfully completed Basic Neuroscience (LST.A346), or have equivalent knowledge.