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Information for module ANATG028

This module is available for: The next academic year(provisional)

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Module code:ANATG028(Add to my personalised list)
Title:The Neurobiology of Neurodegenerative Disease
Credit value:15
Division:Division of Biosciences
Module organiser:Prof. Stephen Davies
Organiser's location:Anatomy Building
Organiser's email:s.w.davies@ucl.ac.uk
Available for students in Year(s):
Module prerequisites:ANAT2010 or MBBS Neuroscience or ANAT2050 or permission of module organiser.  
Module outline: This course will focus on the genetics, and cellular and molecular biology of Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's and Motor Neurone disease, with the main emphasis on the mechanisms leading to cell death. A combination of lectures and video presentations will cover topics including: molecular genetics of HD, AD, PD and ALS, transgenic mouse models of human NDD, mechanisms of protein aggregation and degradation, cell biology of the neuronal response to injury, molecular pathways for cell death. This course is also available as a full unit, which comprises a 6000 word library dissertation and the end of course exam (50/50 weighting for each component). The course code for the full unit is ANATG029. All students wishing to undertake the full course unit will be required to attend a meeting early in the first term to discuss the selection of a topic for the dissertation and the timetable for completion of this component.  
Module aims:I. To provide a detailed description of the clinical symptoms, natural history and pathological basis of several named neurodegenerative diseases. II. To discuss recent advances in our understanding of the novel mechanisms underlying the genetic basis for neurological disease. III. To discuss the mechanisms of protein aggregation within neurons. IV. To discuss the mechanisms of cell death V. To actively debate and discuss the relevance of the mechanisms outlined in II-V to the diseases presented in I.  
Module objectives:This course will focus on the genetics, and cellular and molecular biology of Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's and Motor Neurone disease, with the main emphasis on the mechanisms leading to cell death. A combination of lectures and video presentations will cover topics including: * The polyglutamine repeat expansion diseases, e.g. Huntington's disease * Parkinson's disease, Multiple System Atrophy, Lewy Body Dementia and a-synuclein * Alzheimer's Disease, the processing of beta-amyloid, Tauopathies and Tau protein * Diseases of Motor Neurons, amyotophic lateral sclerosis (ALS/MND) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA I-III) * Prions; Creutzfeld Jacob Disease (CJD) and new variant CJD, Bovine Spongioform Encephalopathy (BSE) and Kuru, what's the connection? * The pathways to neuronal cell death; mechanisms of apoptosis, autophagy, excitotoxicity and oxidative stress * Protein aggregation and neurodegeneration; protein misfolding, ubiquitination, the proteasome.  
Key skills provided by module: 
Module timetable:https://cmis.adcom.ucl.ac.uk:4443/timetabling/moduleTimet.do?firstReq=Y&moduleId=ANATG028 
Module assessment:Unseen three-hour written examination 100.00%.
 
Notes:Runs in Term 2, Block E. 
Taking this module as an option?: 
Link to virtual learning environment(registered students only) 
Last updated:2011-09-14 12:00:09 by