Course catalogue doctoral education - VT24

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Title Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical Features and Pathogenic Mechanisms
Course number 5539
Programme Neurovetenskap
Language English
Credits 3.0
Date 2023-04-17 -- 2023-04-28
Responsible KI department Institutionen för neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle
Specific entry requirements Course in Basic Neuroscience or corresponding knowledge
Purpose of the course The purpose of the course is to enable doctoral students to obtain 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 is created to enhance the pratical knowledge about brain development, brain anatomy and connectivty and AD and dementia neuropathologies.
Intended learning outcomes At the end of the course the students are expected to:
1) have acquired up-to-date knowledge of different aspects of Alzheimer's disease from clinical symptoms and diagnosis to molecular mechanisms and future therapeutic approaches.
2) understand the neuroanatomical base of unique feature of human brain development: specific lamination, cellular elements and timing of developmental events.
3) identify and understand the macroanatomical and microscopical structures of adult human brain and their interconnections.
4) recognize, to discuss and to differentiate the pathomorphological hallmarks between the different neurodegenerative/dementia disorders.
Contents of the course 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.
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, pig and sheep 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 staining techniques. At the end of the course students will be examined theoretically and practically using microscope and macro-photographs.
Teaching and learning activities The pedagocic framing is based on:
1) 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.
2) group work with themes related to the lectures, preparation of seminars and presentation of group work.
3) microscopy exercises and demonstrations.

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:
Compulsory elements Lectures, group work, 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.
Literature and other teaching material Scientific reviews, as well as recent articles. The material will be distributed to the course participants at the beginning of the course.
Number of students 10 - 16
Selection of students 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)
More information The first week consists of lectures on all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, from preclinical to clinical research and diagnosis as well as epidemiology. Week two consists of lectures alternated with anatomical and histological microscopy exercises.
Additional course leader Nenad Bogdanovic, Luana Naia, Una Smailovic
Latest course evaluation Course evaluation report
Course responsible Per Nilsson
Institutionen för neurobiologi, vårdvetenskap och samhälle

Per.et.Nilsson@ki.se
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