Timing of Behaviour

Uitgebreide vaknaam	Timing of Behaviour
Leerdoelen	At the end of the course, the student is able to: 1) understand and use chronobiological terminology (i.e., the vocabulary of the field) and knowledge 2) summarize scientific publications and to present this summary 3) raise major scientific questions and discuss them with others 4) link the results of one study to others 5) design chronobiological experiments
Omschrijving	The general aims of this course are: 1) deepening the students' knowledge of chronobiology and sleep, 2) improving the students' academic skills, 3) interacting and team-building between fellow BCN students. The content of this course builds on the fact that human beings and all other organisms on earth have adapted to a rotating planet and a cyclic environment. It will address the rhythms of life, from molecular mechanisms to behavioural output. During the first 3 weeks, specific topics will be introduced by a lecturer to refresh and/or increase the students' basic knowledge, after which specific assignments are given that require critical reading and reviewing of recent literature, designing and presenting experimental proposals, and finally preparing short oral presentations or writing short essays. There will be a strong emphasis on discussion, not only with the teachers, but particularly also among the students themselves. The topics that will be addressed in the course include: - circadian rhythms and biological clocks - seasonal rhythms and photoperiodism - photobiology - human chronotypes - circadian disorders and chronotherapy - chronobiology of ageing - sleep rhythms and sleep function - sleep and learning During the last week of the course, the students will select a chronobiological topic according to their own interest. They will present and defend their review of this topic in a symposium at the chronobiology research unit of the institute.
Uren per week
Onderwijsvorm	Hoorcollege (LC), Opdracht (ASM), Werkcollege (T)
Toetsvorm	Presentatie (P), Tussentoets (IT) (Each presentation during the course unit is graded by the responsible lecturer. The grades are averaged. The final presentation for the chronobiology research unit is graded by two examiners. They discuss their opinions and decide about the final grade. This is averaged with the grade for the other presentations to arrive at the grade for the course unit.)
Vaksoort	master
Coördinator	dr. P. Meerlo
Docent(en)	dr. R. Havekes ,prof. dr. B. Helm ,prof. dr. R.A. Hut ,dr. P. Meerlo ,prof. dr. M.E. Visser
Entreevoorwaarden	This course is available for BCN research master students only. No specific further prior training required. It is assumed that the students have prior knowledge on chronobiology at the level of the bachelor’s course unit Chronobiology
Opmerkingen	The students will have access to the syllabus of the bachelor course on Chronobiology. This will serve as background information on terminology and up-to-date state of the art overview of modern chronobiology. In addition, scientific publications are being used as they become available through Pubmed etcetera, as well as handbooks when needed. In all discussions a series of basic questions will recur: What is the message of the paper; is this new; what is the impact; what methods are being used; do we know those methods (if not we read about them as a new task); is the paper on function or on mechanism; if the paper is on mechanisms, what can we say about function; if it is on function, how about mechanisms; what kind of experiment would be necessary as a follow-up or as a critical test; how would such an experiment be designed. Subsets of students take turns in having the task of preparing answers to those questions.
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type MSc Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences: Behavioural Neurosciences  (Compulsory course units) 1 semester I a verplicht MSc Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences: Cognitive Neuroscience & Modelling  (Electives: courses from other tracks) 2 semester I a keuze MSc Behavioural and Cognitive Neurosciences: Molecular & Clinical Neurosciences  (Electives: courses from other tracks) 2 semester I a keuze