NEUROSCI 373/ PSY 279 Behavioral Neuroimmunology: Brain and Behavior in Health and Disease Fall 2012

Transcription

1 NEUROSCI 373/ PSY 279 Behavioral Neuroimmunology: Brain and Behavior in Health and Disease Fall 12 PROFESSOR: Dr. Staci D. Bilbo, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience Office Hours: By appointment Contact: Office: Room 3016, 3rd floor of Genome Sciences Research Building II (Off Research Drive) Class Meetings: Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:05-11: AM in Allen 318 Summary: In this course we will examine and discuss some of the multiple interactions among the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems, and the consequences of these interactions for health and behavior, using both the human and animal literatures. Topics include the role of the immune system in cognition and emotion, neuroendocrine- immune interactions during stress, and the effects of stress on health, energy regulation, and disease. The critical role of the immune system in brain development and the potential role of early- life inflammatory events in the etiology of psychopathology (autism, schizophrenia), allergies and autoimmunity, and neurodegenerative conditions (Parkinson's, Alzheimer's) will be highlighted. Prerequisites: Neurosci 101 (Biological Bases of Behavior) OR Neurosci 1 (Fundamentals of Neuroscience) OR Bio/Neurosci 115 (Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology) OR permission of instructor. The concepts in this class will build upon a basic knowledge of biology and neuroscience. Take this as fair warning that if you do not have a sufficient background then you will likely find this course very difficult. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have fulfilled the prerequisite. Textbooks: Recommended: Janeway's Immunobiology. Seventh Ed. Garland Publishing. Sompayrac, L. How the Immune System Works. Third Ed. Blackwell Publishing Nesse, RM and Williams, GC. Why We Get Sick. Vintage Books, Course Website We will use Sakai, an online course management tool, to facilitate and enhance student learning. This course s website will contain course content for your referral and retrieval. Grades will also be posted in the Sakai grade book. Weekly readings will be posted under Resources. Quizzes will be posted under Tests & Quizzes. Course Goals 1. Appreciate the history and philosophical origins of the fields of Behavioral Neuroscience and Neuroimmunology, and how the two have merged to become a single discipline (Behavioral Neuroimmunology, or Psychoneuroimmunology). 2. Describe the structure and function of the immune system and some of the many interactions among the nervous, endocrine and immune systems. 3. Evaluate how these interactions may inform current issues in medicine and mental health. 4. Formulate hypotheses about behavioral- neuroimmune relationships and critically analyze the claims made by others about these relationships. 5. Develop your skills of presentation, communication, and analysis. Skills Objectives 1. Communication Abilities- This course will give you experience and practice in reading (literature), listening to the professor and to each other, and speaking formulating and giving answers to questions during class. 2. Thinking abilities By the end of this course, you will be able to acquire, comprehend, apply, synthesize and evaluate information. The successful graduate will be able to integrate these abilities to identify, resolve, and prevent problems and make appropriate decisions. This course will help you to acquire information in the fields of neuroscience and 1

2 immunology. Your comprehension will be assessed during class activities and on exams. You will be given practice in applying, synthesizing and evaluating information during application sessions. 3. Social interaction, citizenship, and leadership By the end of this course, you will demonstrate appropriate interpersonal and intergroup behaviors. It is expected that students will treat each other with respect by being on time to class; refrain from distracting others with unwarranted conversation, texting, etc. Individuals will take responsibility for preparing for class and case discussions. Criticism and feedback will be constructive and positive. 4. Self- learning abilities By the end of this course, you will be able to continuously assess learning needs and develop the ability to respond appropriately. This course will help you to develop these skills. To accomplish the learning and course objectives listed above we will employ a Team- Based Learning format. In Team- Based Learning, we will engage in 2 types of class meetings: 1. Readiness Assurance and Feedback Sessions. (Wednesdays) Students will take an individual quiz (5 questions), then students will break into their pre- assigned teams and re- take the same quiz. The results of the individual and group quizzes will be used to guide the content of a short lecture by Dr. Bilbo. 2. Application Sessions. (Fridays) Students will work in their teams to answer questions about a work of primary neuroscience literature or analyze experimental data. This will allow students to synthesize and apply the knowledge gained from readings and the Readiness Assurance and Feedback meeting. Weekly Schedule: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Readiness Assessment Application Session Prepare for and Feedback Session Read Primary ~ Wednesday's ~ Research Readings for next Readiness Reading for Friday Paper week assigned on Assessment assigned on Blackboard Blackboard Evaluation Methods Your grade in this course will be determined by your performance on (1) readiness assessment tests taken by you and then by your group, (2) group application session answers, and (3) examinations taken by you. Individual and Group Readiness Assessment (ira and gra) Points - Wednesdays Readiness assessment quizzes will be given at the beginning of each instructional unit (see table below for schedule). This quiz will be 5 multiple choice questions on material from pre- class assignments. This quiz will be given individually first (Individual Readiness Assessment or ira ) then taken with your team (Group Readiness Assessment or gra ). The iras will be taken on a laptop using your individual BB account. After 10 minutes quiz sessions will close and you will break into your groups. If you do not own a laptop, please inquire at the Perkins library desk about the laptop checkout program, or contact the instructor as we may be able to secure laptop carts. If you do not have a laptop when the class meeting begins, you will not be able to take the ira and you will receive 0 points for that day s ira assessment. The gras will be taken as a group on response cards, which will be provided. 2

3 Application Session Points - Fridays Following each readiness assessment meeting a work of primary literature or experimental data will be available for download from Blackboard. The application session will be focused on Analyzing, Synthesizing and Applying concepts covered in the Readiness Assurance and Feedback Session. During the Application Session class meeting you will work in teams on an assignment based on the assigned research paper or data. The Application Session questions will be completed on paper. At least one member of your team will need a ball point pen. Peer Evaluation Peer evaluation will occur at the end of each instructional unit (1 week). The peer evaluation will be performed by other members of your team. They will rate your contribution to group work on a scale of 0 5. Your peer evaluation score will be used to calculate your final course group grades (gra points, Application Session points). You must complete each peer evaluation to receive full credit for each group assessment. Dropping lowest scores Your final point totals for your ira, gra and Application Session assessments will be calculated as the total points accumulated from your 9 out of 11 (ira, gra application) highest scoring assessments. EXAMS Two in class exams will be given (see course overview for dates). These will consist of short answer and multiple choice questions. The exams will include questions about specific topics covered in the readings and in application sessions as well as integrative questions. For example, I may ask you to design an experiment to answer a question. Or I may ask you to compare or integrate some of the topics you have been learning about in class. Course Requirements: Preparation/Participation/Attendance Preparation: 1. Students are expected to read and study Pre- Class assignments prior to coming to class 2. Students are expected to be prepared as an individual to participate in your group s discussion, evaluation, and decision- making process 3. Each individual must have a working laptop to participate (and receive points) for iras. Participation: Your group will be called on in class to answer questions, recall information, evaluate or synthesize information. You are expected to participate in the activities of your group and to contribute in a meaningful way that will lead to the best possible decisions by your group. Groups are expected to participate in the activities assigned and to volunteer responses during application sessions. Classroom Attendance: Students play a vital role in the success and excitement of this course, because the value of the course is in the activities and discussions that will occur during class. Classroom attendance is mandatory to receive points for the assessments occurring on that day. Arriving to class late on Readiness Assessment days and leaving a class meeting before all activities are completed (the end of class) on Application days will be considered an absence and may result in a loss of all points accumulated for that session. Excused absences will be determined on a case- by- case basis. 3

4 Course Overview: Course Dates Topic ira pts gra pts Application pts Exam pts Week 1 8/29 Course intro; Team Based Learning 8/31 practice 50 (practice) (practice) 2 9/5 Innate Immunity inside and 50 9/7 outside the CNS 3 9/12 Adaptive Immunity; 50 9/14 Neuroendocrine- immune communication 4 9/19 Microglia; Neuroinflammation 50 9/21 5 9/26 Stress and the immune system 50 9/ /3 Immune- Behavior Interactions 50 10/5 7 10/10 Review 10/12 Exam /17 Ecology and Energetics of 50 10/19 Immunity 9 10/24 Biological Rhythms in Immunity 50 10/ /31 Immune Factors in 50 11/2 Neurodevelopment 11 11/7 Perinatal programming; 50 11/9 epigenetics 12 11/14 Sex Differences in immunity Dr /16 Jaclyn Schwarz Guest 13 11/ Thanksgiving Break- - 11/ /28 Immune Factors in Neuroplasticity; 50 12/30 Lauren Williamson Guest 15 12/5 Review 12/7 Exam 2 2 TOTAL ira pts (best 9 out of 11) gra pts (best 9 out of 11) Application pts (best 9 out of 11) EXAM points Total Pts * 180* % of Total Pts 36% 14.4% 14.4% 35.2% 100% *Group grades will be multiplied by the average final peer evaluation score (0-5) and divided by 10. Final Grade: There will be no rounding or curving. Grade Total Points Needed A: % B: 80 to < 90% C: 70 to < 80% D: 65 to <70% F: <65%

5 Exam and Readiness Assessment Absence Policies: Exams No make- up exams will be given for an unexcused absence. Only the professor can grant an excused absence for an exam, which will be determined case- by- case. You must contact the professor at least 2 weeks prior to the exam for athletic or religious conflicts. If you are too ill to take an examination, you must contact the instructor PRIOR to that exam. If you are hospitalized or require emergency treatment, you may have a member of the family contact the instructor on your behalf. You may be asked to provide documentation of the emergency. A make- up exam will be administered at the discretion of the professor. ira/gra If you are late to class or absent, you will not be allowed to make up an ira or gra. Make up ira/gra s will not be given. Instructor Communication and Response Time Responses to e- mail messages will usually be transmitted within 48 hours during regular working hours. Student Disabilities Duke University is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations must initiate their request for reasonable accommodation through the Trinity College Academic Resource Center. You can find more information at: If you have made arrangements with the Academic Resource center for testing accommodations, you must communicate this to the instructor at least 2 weeks prior to the examination. Accommodations will be arranged on a case- by- case basis at the discretion of the instructor. Academic Misconduct The Duke Community Standard Duke University is a community dedicated to scholarship, leadership, and service and to the principles of honesty, fairness, respect, and accountability. Citizens of this community commit to reflect upon and uphold these principles in all academic and non- academic endeavors, and to protect and promote a culture of integrity. To uphold the Duke Community Standard: I will not lie, cheat, or steal in my academic endeavors; I will conduct myself honorably in all my endeavors; and I will act if the Standard is compromised. Any academic misconduct observed by the instructor will result in 0 points being awarded for the assessment in question. Cases will be immediately referred to the Office of Student Conduct. NOTE: If academic misconduct occurs during group assessment and it is deemed that other team members are aware of its occurrence, those students will also receive 0 points for the assessment in question and will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. This is in accordance with the Duke Community Standard 5