Kin 301
Human Anatomy of the Central Nervous System
Course Instructor: Dr. Richard Staines, Professor
Office – BMH 3116
Phone – Ext 37756
Email – [email protected]
Office Hours: Friday 10:30 – 12:00 or by appointment
Lab Instructor:
Jeremy Roth
Office – OPT 124 / BMH 0613
Phone – Ext. 33717
Email – [email protected]
Graduate Student Teaching Assistants:
Scott Janssen, Matt Brown, Jon Thacker
Lectures:
Monday, Wednesday, (Friday) 1:30 – 2:20 BMH 1016
Labs:
Section 102 Wednesday 2:30 - 4:20 pm
Section 101 Thursday 8:30 - 10:20 pm
Section 103 Thursday 2:30 - 4:20 pm
* Lab – OPT 124; First Lab September 10th-11th
Prerequisites: Kin 100 or approval of instructor
Required Textbooks:
Martin, J. H. Neuroanatomy: text and atlas (4th Edition). New York, McGraw-Hill, 2012.
Nolte, J. The Human Brain in Photographs and Diagrams (4th Edition). Philadelphia, Mosby
Elsevier, 2014.
Recommended Textbook:
Moore, K.L., Dalley, A.F., and Agur, A.M.R. Clinically Oriented Anatomy (6th Edition or 7th
Edition) Philadelphia, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, 2010 or 2014.
Course Website:
Access to Assistance:
Counseling Services
Waterloo LEARN
All lectures and additional course material will be placed on the course
website.
Main Office - Needles Hall
Ph: 888-4567 x32655
Academic Integrity
See UW Website: http://www.watport.uwaterloo.ca/CD/TOC/AcademicIntegrity.html
Avoidance of Academic Offenses. Students are expected to know what constitutes academic
integrity, to avoid committing academic offenses, and to take responsibility for their
actions. Students who are unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who need help in
learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about rules for group work /
collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, TA, academic advisor, or the
Undergraduate Associate Dean. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties,
students should refer to Policy #71, Student Academic Discipline,
http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy71.htm
Students who believe that they have been wrongfully or unjustly penalized have the right to
grieve; refer to Policy #70, Student Grievance,
http://www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/Policies/policy70.htm
Note for students with disabilities. AccessAbility Services
(http://www.studentservices.uwaterloo.ca/disabilities/), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132 (Ph:
888-4567 x35082), collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate
accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of
the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability,
please register with AccessAbility Services at the beginning of each academic term.
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION
Functionally-oriented anatomy of the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves and the tissues they
innervate using pre-dissected cadavers.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course students should be able to:
1. identify the location of structures and pathways of the central nervous system in crosssectional specimens and images of the central nervous system;
2. illustrate the structural organization of sensory, motor and integrative systems of the
central nervous system; and
3. propose neuroanatomical explanations for normal and abnormal sensory experiences and
motor, cognitive and emotional behaviors;
COURSE CONTENT
Concept Map
The study of human neuroanatomy can be viewed as a travel-log; it is the study of the
geography, language and culture or function of different regions of the central nervous system
(CNS). You will discover that the unfamiliar names of structures and pathways derive from
Latin roots and describe the shape, location or colour of structures and origin and destination of
pathways. Similar to the division of a continent into countries, provinces, regions and cities, the
central nervous system is divided and subdivided into different regions that have specialized
sensory, motor, cognitive and emotional functions. Communicating pathways between divisions
of the central nervous system, the muscles and organs and the external sensory world are similar
to highways connecting cities. For the next 12 weeks, the course texts are your tour books and
Jeremy, the TAs and myself will be your travel guides to adventures in the Human CNS!
Course Topics
1. Overview of the Structural and Functional Organization of the CNS.
Weeks 1 & 2
Module 1 will present a general orientation to the structural and functional organization of the
central nervous system (CNS), with a focus on the cerebral cortex. Using the idea of a travel log,
the CNS is divided into 5 major neuroanatomical regions (countries). Each of these regions has
specialized functions, which depend on their internal circuitry and connections to other regions
of the CNS. Specialized functions of different regions of the CNS can be revealed by behavioral
disorders resulting from a disruption of blood supply to a region. For this reason, we will briefly
tour the vasculature of the CNS.
Week 1 & 2. Structural and functional organization of the CNS.
Readings: Martin – Chapters 1-3.
Focus on the identification of gross divisions and landmarks of the CNS for these early lectures.
The objective is to build a "big picture" map of the CNS, i.e. where major structures are relative
to each other and what is the functional significance of these structures. CNS structures
presented in these chapters will be covered in detail later in the course. You should return to
these chapters for reading as the course progresses. Blood supply of the CNS is introduced at
this time as the disruption of blood flow to specific regions of the CNS can reveal their functions.
Week 1. Organization of sensory and motor regions of the CNS. Readings: Martin – Chapters 12 (Chapter 2 provides an overview of all the systems that we will refer to throughout the course)
Week 2. Vasculature of the CNS. Reading: Martin – Chapter 3
2. Knowing and Moving our Bodies: Organization of Somatic Sensory and Motor Systems
Weeks 2 - 7
Module 2 will explore the organization of the somatic sensory and motor systems. Somatic
sensations include: kinaesthesis, touch, temperature and pain. These sensations allow us to know
the relative orientation and movements of our body parts (body schema) and to explore
properties of objects that we contact. Motor systems allow us to interact with and manipulate
our world. We are endowed with specialized motor systems that provide the ability to
manipulate objects with precision, to maintain upright posture and regulate locomotion, to
control facial expression, mastication and swallowing and to regulate the activity of our organs
and glands (autonomic responses).
Week 2. Somatic sensory pathways serving the limbs and trunk. Readings: Martin – Chapters 4-5
Week 3. Motor pathways controlling the limbs and trunk. Readings: Martin – Chapter 10.
Week 4. Somatic sensory and motor pathways serving the head and neck. Readings: Martin –
Chapters 6 & 11.
Week 5. Cerebellum. Readings: Martin – Chapter 13.
Lab Exam 1:
October 15th/16th in Lab Time
Midterm Exam: Monday, October 20, 2014, 1:30 – 2:20, in class
3. Connecting to the Outside World: Organization of the Auditory, Vestibular and Visual
Systems
Weeks 7- 9
Module 3 will explore the organization of the auditory, vestibular and visual systems. These
sensory systems allow us to experience the external world and guide our movements as we
interact with the external world.
Week 7/8. The auditory and vestibular systems. Readings: Martin – Chapter 8 & 12
Week 9. The visual system. Readings: Martin – Chapter 7
4. Integrative Systems of the Brain
Weeks 10 -12
Module 4 will explore integrative systems of the brain: the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and
limbic system. These regions serve important functions of problem solving, storing memories,
regulating emotions and automating movement.
Week 10. Basal Ganglia. Readings: Martin – Chapter 14
Week 11. Limbic System. Readings: Martin – Chapter 16
Week 12. Catch-up and review.
Lab Exam 2:
November 26th/27th in Lab Time
Final Exam: TBD during the Dec. Final Exam Period (published on Oct. 15th,
2014)
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS
Lectures
Lectures will typically meet for 2 hours each week. The lecture time on Friday will be used as a
tutorial time unless there is need to continue with lecture material that day. Lectures will be
devoted to: providing context and relevance for each module, directing your attention to
important facts and concepts in assigned readings, developing strategies for self-study outside of
lectures and labs and analyzing the neuroanatomical basis of normal and abnormal experiences
and behaviour using case studies.
Labs
Labs will meet for 2 hours each week. Labs will be devoted to building a map of the central
nervous system by identifying the location of structures in specimens and images of cross
sections of the central nervous system. Lab material will supplement lecture material.
COURSE EVALUATION
Midterm Exam
30%
Anyone missing the midterm for a legitimate medical reason (i.e. illness with doctor’s note) will
write a makeup in the following week. Failure to produce the appropriate documentation (ie
doctor’s note) will result in a failing grade. If a make-up cannot be arranged within 1 week the
available grades will be transferred to the final exam.
Lab Exams (2)
25%
Two bell-ringer lab exams will be conducted during the regular lab times in Optometry 124 in
the following weeks:
October 15th – 10%
November 26th – 15% (cumulative)
Lab exams will evaluate your ability to identify structures presented on embalmed cadaveric
specimens, plastic models and images of cross sections of the central nervous system.
Pre-Lab quizzes
5%
Final Exam
40%
The final exam will occur during the scheduled final exam period. The exam will be structured to
evaluate all three of the course learning outcomes. The Midterm Exam should prepare you to
address questions focused on these learning outcomes.