Practical: Neuroanatomy

Volledige vakbeschrijving

In this practical we extend our knowledge of the neuroanatomy of and the spatial relationship between brain structures discussed in the education group meetings of the course Functional Neuroanatomy (IPN2029). In these practical meetings you will literally put your hands on the brain. You will get the chance to acquire hands-on experience in making sheep brain preparations. Studying real neurons in microscope preparations of the rat brain is a unique experience in which you will compare brain cells in different brain structures and directly observe details such as the dendritic spines - the basis of neuronal connections and brain plasticity. Finally, the experience and insights acquired with animal brains will be applied to improve our understanding of the complex structure of the human brain, with the help of brain models, brain preparations (plastinates) and MRI image visualization tools. After studying the 3-dimensional, macroscopic (i.e., visible to the eye) organization of the sheep brain you proceed to preparing 2-dimensional sections through the sheep brain, and then to studying microscopic preparations of sections through the rat brain, in which individual neurons can be studied at high magnification. Throughout the practical meetings you will study a range of important structures, such as the ventricle system, the basal ganglia, hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, midbrain nuclei, cerebellum and the lobes and major sulci and gyri of the human cerebral cortex. You will also learn about the functional relevance of these structures: perception, different forms of retention, emotion and motivation, etc. You will work through assignments using brain preparations, brain models, atlases and hand books. In addition you will use internet sites, MRI images and Brain Tutor software (Brain Voyager), to acquire familiarity with the 3- dimensional organization of the human brain.