NEUROBIOLOGICAL BASIS OF DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Co-ordinators

Leonidas Stefanis, Professor of Neurology and Neurobiology, Medical School of Athens, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens

Spiros Efthimiopoulos, Professor of Neurobiology, Department of Biology, Division of Animal & Human Physiology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens

Teaching hours and weekly schedule

This is a 2^nd semester, 3,5 weeks elective course that corresponds to 6 ECTs and 53 total hours of lectures and student presentations.

Description

This is an intensive three and a half-week course focused on the Genetics, the general processes that operate in several different neurological disorders, the pathology of neurological disorders, their molecular basis, as well as experimental therapeutics. The goal of this intensive course is that students become well versed with the genetic and molecular basis of the disorders of the nervous system.

Course Overview

The course covers general principles that apply to several disorders of the nervous system as well as the description and the pathology and the molecular basis of individual diseases.

General principles include:

•             Protein misfolding and aggregation,

•             protein degradation

•             Inflammation

•             Neurotoxic and neurotrophic pathways

Examples of the diseases of the nervous system that will be covered include:

•             Alzheimer's disease

•             Parkinson's disease

•             Motor Neuron Disease

•             Schizophrenia

•             Depression

•             Triple repeat disorders

•             Epilepsy

•             Addiction

•             Nervous System Cancers

•             Brain and Spinal Cord injury

Skills & Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

1.            Understand the common mechanisms involved in various diseases of the nervous system

2.            Understand the genetics of neurological diseases

3.            Understand and describe the molecular pathways that operate in specific disorders of the nervous system

Titles of lectures and names of lecturers