ANAT. 202 : NEUROSCIENCE

Taught to level 200 medical and dental students in the second semester, this course introduces students to the anatomical and physiological principles of neuroscience important to practicing health professionals. The course utilizes an integrated approach to provide insight into the fundamental concepts of anatomy and physiology as they relate to the nervous system. In the early part of the course a regional approach is used to study the surface landmarks, internal anatomy, and blood supply of the spinal cord, brainstem, and forebrain. This provides the framework and terminology to be used in the later part of the course, which adopts a systems approach to the study of the central nervous system. The middle to later part of the course focuses on the sensory systems, the motor system, limbic system, and higher cortical function in that order. Throughout the course, basic anatomy and physiology are coordinately presented in tandem fashion to emphasize normal functions and neurologic disorders that involve the particular system being studied. Case studies and problem-based learning methods are utilized to emphasize the correlation of basic and clinical material. Both written and practical examinations are used to assess students’ progress in the course.