Classes

CNS/Bi/NB 247. Cerebral Cortex. 6 units (2-0-4); second term. Prerequisite: Bi/CNS/NB 150 or equivalent.

A general survey of the structure and function of the cerebral cortex. Topics include cortical anatomy, functional localization, and newer computational approaches to understanding cortical processing operations. Motor cortex, sensory cortex (visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortex), association cortex, and limbic cortex. Emphasis is on using animal models to understand human cortical function and includes correlations between animal studies and human neuropsychological and functional imaging literature. Given in alternate years; Instructor: Andersen.

CNS/Bi/NB 256. Brain-machine interfaces. 6 units (2-0-4); third term.

A brain-machine interface (BMI) records neural activity, decodes the intent of the participant, and generates control signals to operate assistive devices. Bi-directional BMIs can write signals back into the brain though electrical stimulation based on the recorded neural activity. These neurotechnologies have been advancing rapidly with therapeutic potential for several neurological diseases and disorders. Through lectures and reviews of the literature, the course will cover motor BMIs for robotics and communication, cognitive neural prosthetics, stimulation to restore sensation, and different invasive and non-invasive recording and stimulation technologies.