Course description
The purpose of the course is to give doctoral students a broad knowledge of Alzheimer's disease, covering cellular
mechanisms as well as clinical features and diagnosis. Experts in the field are invited to give the lectures securing
communication of up-to-date knowledge about the disease. Students will also get the opportunity to obtain deeper
knowledge on specific sub-topics during the planned group assignments. The second part will provide pratical
knowledge about brain development, brain anatomy and connectivty and AD and dementia neuropathologies.
The first week consists of lectures given by leading clinicians and basic research scientist. In parallel, group
assessments will be run directly connected to the topics of the lectures. The second week is aimed for practical
microscopy exercises and demonstrations to obtain hands-on knowledge about brain development, brain anatomy,
brain connectivity and AD and other dementia neuropathologies:
A) Development of human brain from foetal to newborn and perinatal period. A specifical emphasis towards a
transient foetal lamination pattern, migration and differentiation of the neurons, foetal neuronal circuits and
plasticity in the foetal brain. The normal brain tissue and pathological lesions will be demonstrated on microscope
and on MRI images.
B) Development and distribution of the connection in the brain with specific emphasis on the frontal cortex circuits in
the normal development, adulthood and in the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer Disease. The tracing
method will be discussed, and samples will be presented by microscopy.
C) The main histological features of adult human brain, cytoarchitectonic differences between different regions and
importance of thalamic and basal ganglia projection to the cortex. A specific emphasis to comparative anatomy of
the cortex between different species: rats, dolphins, camel, macaque, orangutan, will be presented on stained
sections.
D) Neuronatomical features of the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson Disease and
Frontal lobe dementia. The extensive microscopic exercises will help students to analyze neuropathological features
using diverse techniques. At the end of the course students will be examined theoretically and practically using
microscope and macropreparation.
The pedagocic framing is based on lectures by invited Swedish and international scientist who will cover the topics of
clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, pathology, epidemiology, genetics, molecular mechanisms, animal models,
therapeutic strategies. Group work with themes related to the lectures, preparation of seminars and presentation of
group work. Microscopy exercises, dissection demonstrations.
Both lectures, group work and practical exercises and demonstrations are compulsory. Absence from any of these
should be compensated for by essay(s) on the topic(s) missed, in agreement with the course director.
Examination:
Group presentation and oral examination of the topics by an examinator. The practical skills will be examined by
written examination that consists of 4 parts: questions, recognition, drawing, microscopy.
Requirements and Selection
Prerequisite courses, or equivalent
Course in Basic Neuroscience or corresponding knowledge
Selection
Selection will be based on:
1) the relevance of the course syllabus for the applicant’s doctoral project (according to written motivation).
2) start date of doctoral studies (priority given to earlier start date).
Course director
Per Nilsson, Luana Naia, Nenad Bogdanovic, Una Smailovic
Course syllabus
H1F5539
Department
Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Doctoral programme
Neuroscience
Type of course
**Other course
Keywords
Alzheimer's