NEUR 3202A Course Outline

NEUROSCIENCE 3202A – SENSORY PROCESSES

(Winter 2017)
Class Info
 When: Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:35 - 3:55 PM, January 9 to April 5, 2016
 Where: 360 Tory Building (TB)
Instructor
Dr. Mike Hildebrand
 Office: Room 106J, Social Sciences Research Building
 Office hours: Tuesdays 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM, or by appointment
 Email: mike.hildebrand@carleton.ca
 Phone: 613-520-2600, x3306
Teaching Assistants
Meagan Milton MeaganMilton@cmail.carleton.ca
Catherine Nesbitt cathynesbitt@cmail.carleton.ca
Katelyn Ventura KatelynVentura@cmail.carleton.ca

Overview
In this course, we will explore the major topics in sensation and perception, with a focus on underlying
sensory processes and neurobiological principles. After a brief introduction (lectures 1 and 2), we will
start on a comprehensive analysis of all the major senses, including Vision, Hearing (including
music/speech perception), Spatial Orientation, Touch (including pain), Olfaction, and Taste. For each
sense, we will detail how specialized sensory organs transduce physical stimuli into neuronal signals as
well as how higher-order brain centers process this sensory information to generate perception.
Throughout the course, we will discuss pathological conditions whereby dysfunction in sensory
pathways leads to altered perception (e.g. - the agnosias and chronic pain).

Required Text (at Carleton bookstore)

 Authors: Wolfe et al.
 Title: Sensation & Perception (4th Edition)
 Publisher: Sinauer
Course Content (what’s testable)
 Big Picture First: Lecture slides are your primary resource. You should start out with
understanding what I cover in lecture, and then fill in the gaps with info from text and readings.
 Wolfe et al Textbook: You are responsible for any textbook material that is discussed or
referenced during lecture. In other words, if it's not covered in class, it won't be on the exam.
However, if text material is covered in lecture, the textbook will help you in understanding the
material in more depth. Previous versions of the Wolfe textbook are similar to the 4th edition.
 Other Lecture Material: During lectures, I will also be presenting information from various
sources other than the textbook, including other texts, scientific papers, websites, videos, and
visual aids. You are responsible for all material that is discussed in lecture.
 Assigned Readings: To illustrate current research related to this course, you will be assigned
readings with associated questions. It is your responsibility to understand the general concepts
and ideas in these readings as well as the information covered by the assigned questions.

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NEUR 3202A Course Outline

CuLearn
This is a CuLearn course. I will be posting my lecture slides on this site, typically at least one
day before the lecture. It is your responsibility to monitor CuLearn for new course content and
information. You will be submitting your answers to reading assignments (see below) through CuLearn.

Tentative Lecture Schedule

Lecture Date Topic Chapter Assignments
1 Jan 9 Course Introduction/ Psychophysics 1
2 Jan 11 Principles and Techniques in Sensory Neuroscience 1
3 Jan 16 Vision - From Light to Photoreceptors 2
4 Jan 18 Visual Transduction and Retinal Processing 2
5 Jan 23 Receptive Fields and Visual Acuity 2,3 Reading 1 Due (3.3%)
6 Jan 25 Spatial Vision 3
Jan 30 PRE-MIDTERM TEST (10%) Covers Lectures 1-5; Chapters 1-3
Reading 1 Debrief
7 Feb 1 Object Recognition 4
8 Feb 6 Pre-midterm Test Debrief, Colour Vision 5
9 Feb 8 Space Perception 6
Feb 13 Lecture Spillover, Review for Midterm
Feb 15 MIDTERM (30%) Covers Lectures 1-9; Chapters 1-6
10 Feb 27 Audition : From Sound Waves to Hair Cells 9
11 March 1 Transduction and Processing in the Cochlea 9
12 March 6 Sound Coding From the Cochlea to the Brain 10 Reading 2 Due (3.3%)
13 March 8 Music and Speech Perception 11
14 March 13 Spatial Orientation (Vestibular System) 12
15 March 15 Somatosensation (Touch) 13
16 March 20 Nociception - Peripheral Pain Processing 13
17 March 22 Central Pain Processing -
18 March 27 Olfaction - From Odorants to the Olfactory Bulb 14 Reading 3 Due (3.3%)
19 March 29 Olfactory Perception 14
20 April 3 Gustation (Taste) 15
April 5 Lecture Spillover/ Review for FINAL (50%) Covers Lectures 10-20; Chapters 9-15

Assessment
1. Assigned Readings (10% course total)
Objectives
 To expose students to current high impact scientific research relating to the course material
 To gain an understanding of broad level research questions, techniques and findings (not to
understand all of the experimental minutiae relating to the papers)
 To critically analyze scientific research using principles discussed in class

Individual Readings (Links, Questions and Answer Submission through CuLearn)

 Reading 1 – Davis et al (2012) Pain, 153: 1555-1559.
Answers to questions due Jan 23, worth 3.33 %
 Reading 2 – Indzhykulian et al (2013) PLOS Biology, 11(6): e1001583.
Answers to questions due March 6, worth 3.33 %
 Reading 3 – Rowe et al (2013) Science, 342: 441-446.
Answers to questions due March 27, worth 3.33 %

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Assignment Completion
These readings and questions will be one of the most challenging components of the course,
providing opportunities to apply principles you are learning in class to questions being explored using
current scientific research methods. You are permitted to work together and discuss the readings and
associated questions with your peers. However, all submitted answers must be in your own words
and completed independently.
In-class Review – No Late Assignments Accepted
Material covered in the readings is testable, at the level of the assigned questions. We will
discuss the readings in class on the lecture following the due date. Because of this, any assignment
that is submitted late will be given a mark of 0. If you will not be able to complete the assignment on
time due to serious illness or a death in the family - both require official documentation and must
demonstrate that you could not reasonably complete the assignment – you must contact the instructor
BEFORE the due date.
o Please note that it is University Policy that we are no longer accepting sick notes
from Appletree Medical Clinic

2. Pre-Midterm Test (10% course total)

Objectives
 To provide students with early exposure to my exam format as well as initial written and oral
feedback on their level of understanding of the course material.
 To provide early opportunities for two-way dialogue between the students, the TAs, and myself.
Material
This test will cover Lectures 1-5, Chapters 1-3 in the text, and Reading 1
Date, Time, Location
In our regular classroom, during the first forty minutes of our scheduled class on January 30th
Format
May include multiple choice (Scantron; bring pencil!), definitions, short answer, figure labeling
Missing the Pre-Midterm Test
If you miss the test due to serious illness or a death in the family (both require official
documentation) you must contact the instructor WITHIN 48 h of the exam with your documentation in
hand for consideration. No make-up exam will be scheduled for this test – any student with an above
documented reason for missing the test will have the weighting of all other evaluations proportionately
increased. Any other reason for missing the test or a lack of proper documentation will warrant a
mark of 0.
o Please note that it is University Policy that we are no longer accepting sick notes
from Appletree Medical Clinic

3. Midterm (30% course total)

Material
This midterm is cumulative and will cover Lectures 1 - 9, Chapters 1 - 6 in the text, and Reading
1
Date, Time, Location
In our regular classroom, during the entire time block of our scheduled class on February 15th.
Format
May include multiple choice (Scantron; bring pencil!), definitions, short answer, figure labeling

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Missing the Midterm

If you miss the midterm due to serious illness or a death in the family (both require official
documentation) you must contact the instructor WITHIN 48 h of the exam with your documentation in
hand for consideration. Make-up exams will take place on February 27th. Any other reason for
missing the midterm or a lack of proper documentation will warrant a mark of 0 on the exam.
o The TA will be in touch with you regarding the location of the exam. Please bring your
documentation to the makeup exam. Without it, you will not be allowed to write the
exam.
o Please note that it is University Policy that we are no longer accepting sick notes
from Appletree Medical Clinic

4. Final Exam (50% course total)

Material
The final exam is not cumulative and will only cover the material presented after the Midterm,
including Lectures 10 - 20, Chapters 9 - 15 in the text, and Readings 2 and 3
Date, Time, Location
During final exam period, 3 hours long
Format
Multiple Choice (Scantron; please bring a pencil!), definitions, short answer, longer answer,
figure labeling
Missing the Final exam
For a missed Final Exam, you must contact the Registrar’s Office, not the course instructor or
TAs, within 5 working days.

Statement of Academic Freedom

 Students enrolling this course are warned that studying the literature, culture and ideas of
societies other than their own will expose them to unfamiliar and sometimes provocative
attitudes, images, language and values. All participants in the course must be willing to examine
the relevant texts, must make a sincere effort to understand the presuppositions of others, and be
willing to discuss, verbally and in writing, the objects of study. By enrolling in this course,
students accept a commitment to academic freedom for all participants, themselves, and the
instructor.

Instructional Offences
The University Senate defines plagiarism as “presenting, whether intentional or not, the ideas,
expression of ideas or work of others as one’s own.” This can include:
 reproducing or paraphrasing portions of someone else’s published or unpublished material,
regardless of the source, and presenting these as one’s own without proper citation or reference
to the original source;
 submitting a take-home examination, essay, laboratory report or other assignment written, in
whole or in part, by someone else;
 using ideas or direct, verbatim quotations, or paraphrased material, concepts, or ideas without
appropriate acknowledgment in any academic assignment;
 using another’s data or research findings;
 failing to acknowledge sources through the use of proper citations when using another’s works
and/or failing to use quotation marks;

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 handing in "substantially the same piece of work for academic credit more than once without
prior written permission of the course instructor in which the submission occurs."
Plagiarism is a serious offence which cannot be resolved directly with the course’s instructor. The
Associate Deans of the Faculty conduct a rigorous investigation, including an interview with the student,
when an instructor suspects a piece of work has been plagiarized. Penalties are not trivial. They range
from a mark of zero for the plagiarized work to a final grade of "F" for the course, and even suspension
from all studies or expulsion from the University.

Grading System
Letter grades assigned in this course will have the following percentage equivalents:

A+ = 90-100 B = 73-76 C - = 60-62

A = 85-89 B - = 70-72 D+ = 57-59
A - = 80-84 C+ = 67-69 D = 53-56
B+ = 77-79 C = 63-66 D - = 50-52

F Failure. No academic credit

ABS Absent from the final examination
DEF Official deferral (see "Petitions to Defer")
FND “Failed, no Deferral” – assigned when the student is absent from the final exam and has failed
the course on the basis of inadequate term work as specified in the course outline.
Standing in a course is determined by the course instructor subject to the approval of the Faculty Dean.

Requests for Academic Accommodations

All students requiring academic accommodations must make an appointment with the instructor
at least two weeks before the accommodations are required. This is to ensure sufficient time is available
to make the necessary accommodation arrangements.
For Students with Disabilities:
 Students with disabilities requiring academic accommodations in this course are encouraged to
contact the Paul Menton Centre for Students with Disabilities (500 University Centre) to
complete the necessary forms. After registering with the Centre, make an appointment to meet
with me in order to discuss your needs at least two weeks before the first in-class test or CUTV
midterm exam. This will allow for sufficient time to process your request.
For Religious Observance:
 Students requesting academic accommodation on the basis of religious observance should make
a formal, written request to their instructors for alternate dates and/or means of satisfying
academic requirements. Accommodation is to be worked out directly and on an individual basis
between the student and the instructor(s) involved. Instructors will make accommodations in a
way that avoids academic disadvantage to the student. Students or instructors who have
questions or want to confirm accommodation eligibility of a religious event or practice may refer
to the Equity Services website for a list of holy days and Carleton’s Academic Accommodation
policies, or may contact an Equity Services Advisor in the Equity Services Department for
assistance.
For Pregnancy:
 Pregnant students requiring academic accommodations are encouraged to contact an Equity
Advisor in Equity Services to complete a letter of accommodation.

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