BIOL 310
Neural Development and Plasticity Fall 2009
Division III
Cross-listed BIOL 310 / NSCI 310
This is not the current course catalog

Development can be seen as a tradeoff between genetically-determined processes and environmental stimuli. The tension between these two inputs is particularly apparent in the developing nervous system, where many events must be predetermined, and where plasticity, or altered outcomes in response to environmental conditions, is also essential. Plasticity is reduced as development and differentiation proceed, and the potential for regeneration after injury or disease in adults is limited; however, some exceptions to this rule exist, and recent data suggest that the nervous system is not as hard-wired as previously thought. In this course we will discuss the mechanisms governing nervous system development, from relatively simple nervous systems such as that of the roundworm, to the more complicated nervous systems of humans, examining the roles played by genetically specified programs and non-genetic influences.