Neuroscience Analysis of Occupational Performance (OCTH 455)
(co-taught with Neuroscience - PTRS 850)

Timetable & Assignments


Outlines for these lectures are available on-line for enrolled students accessing this website through the ANGEL system. We suggest students briefly review each outline prior to the lecture, and that you consider printing the outline and bringing it to class to aid in taking notes.
This course is scheduled to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00am - 9:50am in Wahl West auditorium. We will meet for class on the dates appearing in boldface, unless otherwise noted. Other dates (appearing in plain text) are those when lecture will be cancelled, so that students may spend time studying tutorials and other course materials.

Some of the links below (those to lecture outlines and tutorials) can only be accessed using a computer on the KU Medical Center, KU-Lawrence, or KU-Edwards campuses, or through the ANGEL portal. If you try to access these links from other sites, a 'Forbidden Access' message will be returned. If you experience this problem and are enrolled in this course, please let an instructor know immediately!

The readings assigned as chapters below correspond to the required text for OT students (Neuroscience: Fundamentals for Rehabilitation by L. Lundy-Ekman. (3rd edition) W.B. Saunders Co.: Philadelphia, 2007). Additional readings will be made available through on-line sources, with links provided in the timetable below, in class, or through the ANGEL portal. You are expected to read all assigned materials.

Some of these readings are available on-line through the public section of the Society for Neuroscience website. Visit the SFN website early in the term and:

  1. Download the SFN's 'Brain Facts' publication. You may save and read electronically, or you may print out a hardcopy.
  2. Bookmark the Brain Briefings page so you may easily locate and read about the topics indicated in the table below.

Dates Topics & Exams Assignments
Thur Aug 16 Introduction to Class
Gross Anatomy of the Brain
- Atlas (at beginning of the textbook) & ch.1
- Skim ch. 2, 3, 5 & 18 (most of this should be a review)
- begin competency quiz, available on-line through the ANGEL system)
Tues Aug 21 Autonomic Nervous System
& Hypothalamus
- Hypothalamus & ANS computer tutorial (on the web)
- read ch. 8
- ANS & Hypothalamus case study
- Begin the Spinal Cord section of "Brain & Stem" tutorial (on the computers at Dykes Library)
- Skim through the Brain Facts publication - Optional computer tutorials for a quick review:
  • Microscopic anatomy (computer tutorial; only on computers @ Dykes library)
  • Neurophysiology (computer tutorial; only on computers @ Dykes library)
  • Growth & Development of the Nervous System (on-line computer tutorial)
Thur Aug 23 No class! Work on the Spinal Cord tutorial on your own (student computers at Dykes library, etc.) - ch. 9 & 12
- complete spinal cord worksheets
- Brain Briefings:
Brain Plasticity, Language Processing and Reading
Brain Reorganization
Brain Rehab
Brain Work-Outs
Sleep and Learning
Tues Aug 28 Case Studies & Review Spinal Cord material Review Spinal Cord case studies
- Bring spinal cord worksheets to class for discussion
- ch. 13
- Begin the Brain Stem & Cranial nerves section of the "Brain & Stem" tutorial (on CD-ROM and the computers at Dykes Library)
- Complete cranial nerve worksheet
- Brain Briefings:
Spinal Cord Repair
Spinal Cord Injury and Rehab
Thur Aug 30 Review Brain Stem & Cranial Nerves materials ch. 14
- Review Brainstem case studies
- Bring brain stem & cranial nerves worksheets to class for discussion
- Achieve 90% criterion on the Competency Quiz by 4pm today.
Tues Sept 04 Exam #1
8:00am - 9:50am
Wahl West Auditorium
ANS, Hypothalamus, Spinal Cord, Cranial Nerves & Brain Stem
Thur Sept 06 General concepts related to sensory sytems
Review Somatosensory systems
Begin Proprioceptive system
ch. 6 & 7
Select three Nervous System Disorders & begin working on a Disorder Summary for each (click for more details & a list of disorders for your selections; due Nov 20)
Tues Sept 11 Proprioceptive system
begin Vestibular system
begin ch. 15 (vestibular)
- Brain Briefings:
Stem Cell Repair
Thurs Sept 13 Vestibular system
Auditory system
- Brain Briefings:
Restoring Hearing
Deafness genes
Tues Sept 18 begin Visual system complete ch. 15 (visual)
- Brain Briefings:
Eye Repair
Light Detection
Visual Development
Thurs Sept 20 Visual system
discuss integration of sensory systems & preview sensory processing in cortex
complete worksheets for this section
Tues Sept 25 Sensory Systems Review Review the Sensory System case studies and
Review the Thought Exercises from each of the Sensory Systems lectures prior to class
Mid-semester course evaluation
Thurs Sept 27 Exam #2
8:00am - 9:50am
Wahl West Auditorium
Sensory Systems
. . The PT students will have a fieldwork experience from Oct 01 - Oct 28.
The October portion of this timetable applies only to the OT students.
Tues Oct 02 No class - do the Thalamus portion of the Motor Systems tutorial on your own
link: Thalamus tutorial
ch. 16 (p. 431-437 - thalamus & subcortical structures) & worksheets (in packet)
During this unit, you should view my collection of videoclips illustrating aspects of motor function & dysfunction.
Thurs Oct 04 Motor Systems review #1 Come to class familiar with the Thalamus material
Bring any questions you may have!
Tues Oct 09 No class - do the Cerebellum portion of the Motor Systems tutorial on your own
link: Cerebellum tutorial
ch. 10 (Cerebellum)
Thurs Oct 11 No class Fall Break
Tues Oct 16 No class - do the Basal Ganglia portion of the Motor Systems tutorial on your own
link: Basal Ganglia tutorial
and review the Somatic Motor system
link: Somatic motor system output tutorial
ch. 10 (Basal Ganglia)
- Brain Briefings:
Huntington's Disease Genetics
Parkinson's and Dopamine
Thurs Oct 18 Motor Systems Review #2 ch. 10 (Movement)
Review Thalamus, Cerebellum, Basal Ganglia, and Somatic Motor materials before class
Review circuitry of the Fine Motor and Gross motor examples
link: Fine & Gross motor examples tutorial Bring any questions you may have for discussion!
Tues Oct 23 Optional review session come with questions and examples!
This is an example of how the internal motor system works together with the other systems we've studied. (link downloads a .pdf file)
Thurs Oct 25 OTs only!
Exam #3
8:00am - 9:50am
Wahl West Auditorium
Motor systems
Tues Oct 30 No class! .
Thurs Nov 01 No class! .
Tues Nov 06 - Affiliation Insights
- Drugs Affecting the CNS
- Medical Imaging
Welcome back to the PTs!
- review Appendix
- Brain Briefings:
Serotonin and Judgment
Addiction's Path
The Brain's Stash
Ecstasy
Nicotine and the Brain
The Opiate Receptor
Young Brains on Alcohol
- Consider visiting the Neuroimaging Primer if you find the medical imaging material of interest
- Remember that your Disorder Summaries are due by 4pm on Nov. 20
Thurs Nov 08 Olfactory & Limbic systems ch. 16 (p. 444-450 - limbic system, emotions, memory)
- Brain Briefings:
Smell and the Olfactory System
Taste Intensity
Tues Nov 13 Cortex:
Structures, Blood supply, Stroke, Aphasia
ch. 16 (p. 437-438 & p. 450-454) & ch. 18; begin ch. 17
- Brain Briefings:
Brain Rehab
Brain Reorganization
Thurs Nov 15 Cortex: (cont'd)
Aging, Dementia, degenerative diseases
complete ch. 17
- begin working on End-of-Term student case studies
- Brain Briefings:
Alzheimer's Disease and Plaques
Brain Stimulation and Parkinson's
Parkinson's and Cognition
Tues Nov 20 No class - Disorder summaries due by 4pm
- read through KUMC's Stem Cell Research 101 website
- Brain Briefings: Stem cell repair
Thurs Nov 22 No Class! Happy Thanksgiving!
Tues Nov 27 1) Neuroplasticity
2) Peripheral Nervous System
ch. 11 (PNS)
- Brain Briefings:
Music Training and the Brain
Brains in Space
Neurotrophic Factors
Stress and the Brain
The Mind-Body Link
Parental Care and the Brain
Exercise and the Brain
Thurs Nov 29 Class discussion .
Tues Dec 04
Brain Lab
OTs @ 8:00am - 9:00am
PTs @ 9:00am - 10.00am
Meet in 2nd floor Orr-Major anatomy labs
Thurs Dec 06 review of course content Bring completed worksheets, scenarios, and your own questions
Bring student-generated ('pink' & 'green') case studies to class, with several copies to exchange with other students, and one copy for the instructors
Answers for student case studies will be posted on-line
Answers for the review questions at the end of your course packet.
End of term course evaluation
Tues Dec 11 Exam #4
8:00am - 9:50am
Wahl West Auditorium
This exam covers Spinal Cord, Brain Stem, Sensory Systems, Motor Systems, and Cortical Systems

Questions? Consult your syllabus for further details, or stop by the OTEd office.

End of OCTH 455 Timetable & Assignments


Comments? Send e-mail to Jeff Radel

Back to the Top | Last Updated:01/09/08