• Fundamentals of brain anatomy in the human brain and the analogy in the mouse model.
• Experimental approaches to study the structure and function of neuronal circuits.
• The nociceptive system and behaviors aimed at avoiding pain (nocifensive behaviors)
• Learned defensive behaviors: Associative learning (amygdala and midbrain)
• Innate defensive behavior driven by visual and olfactory sensory cues
• Monitoring of internal body states by the brain: Regulation of energy state and water homeostasis (feeding and drinking behavior; hypothalamus)
• Instrumental learning and the mechanisms of addiction (midbrain dopamine system, cortex, striatum)
• Neural mechanisms of social behaviors: sociability, sexual behavior, parenting, and aggression (hypothalamus, extended amygdala)
• Neural circuit mechanisms of psychiatric diseases (anxiety, schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism)

animals, physiology, homeostasis, mouse model, brain anatomy, neuronal connectivity, neurotransmitters, glutamate, GABA, neuropeptides, physiological needs, safety, danger, fear, social behavior, associative learning, valence of a sensory percept

BIO-311 Neuroscience

BIO-377 Physiology by Systems

BIO-482 Neuroscience: cellular and circuit mechanisms

Good knowledge about basic neuroscience; curiosity and willingness to learn about new concepts.

• Systematize the knowledge of the methods used in research on neuronal circuits
• Assess / Evaluate critically the conclusions of a research paper in the area of neuronal circuit function in motivated behaviors
• Explain the basic functioning of neuronal circuits and their underlying functional neuroanatomy
• Design prototypic experiments testing the function of neuronal circuits in motivated behavior
• Draw simple circuit diagrams, which include the actions of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, to illustrate the basic function of a neuronal / endocrine regulation circuit

• Evaluate one's own performance in the team, receive and respond appropriately to feedback.
• Continue to work through difficulties or initial failure to find optimal solutions.
• Demonstrate the capacity for critical thinking
• Demonstrate a capacity for creativity.
• Summarize an article or a technical report.

Lectures (2h weekly); Exercises / group work with the teaching assistants (2h weekly)

• read original scientific papers relating to the Material covered in the lectures
• read assigned research papers for the exercises
• prepare presentations to discuss research papers
• pro-actively prepare for lecture content ahead of time
• perform work in small groups to discuss the course contents with fellow students and TAs

Active participation in exercises (20%), and Written exam in exam period (80%)

1. Neuroscience Ed. by D. Purves, G.J. Augustine, D. Fitzpatrick, W. C. Hall, A.-S. LaMantia, and L. E. White, 5th edition, Sinauer Associates (2012)
2. Principles of Neural Science. Ed. by E.R. Kandel, J.H. Schwartz, T.M. Jessell et al., McGraw-Hill Education / Medical (2013)
3. Principles of neurobiology. Liqun Luo, Garland science, New York (2016)

• Find the references at the Libraryhttps://slsp-epfl.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=course_code,contains,%22BIO-499%202025-2026%22&tab=41SLSP_EPF_MyInst_and_CI&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&vid=41SLSP_EPF:prod