NEUROSCIENCE

This intensive course during the second semester of the DPT curriculum provides students with detailed coverage of neuroscience through lecture and one human cadaver prosection lab. The focus of the course is on the integral relationship between structure and function, as it relates to the neural basis for perception, movement, behavior, and cognition.  A comprehensive understanding of normal structure and function provides the foundation for understanding abnormal structure and function.  Both the lecture and laboratory components of the course are critical to success in the program and as a competent entry-level clinician. This course uses a primarily systems approach to study neuroscience.  The first part of the course covers essential concepts, such as neurobiology, neurohistology, neurophysiology, neurodevelopment, and neuroanatomy.  The second part of the course covers perception.  The third part of the course covers movement.  The fourth part of the course covers homeostasis, behavior, cognition, and alterations (i.e. healing and aging).  Functional consequences of lesions to various parts of the nervous system will be discussed.