MATH 430 Course Syllabus

NJIT HONOR CODE:  All Students should be aware that the Department of Mathematical Sciences takes the NJIT Honor Code very seriously and enforces it strictly.  This means that there must not be any forms of plagiarism, i.e., copying of homework, class projects, or lab assignments, or any form of cheating in quizzes and exams.  Under the Honor Code, students are obligated to report any such activities to the Instructor.

 

Math 430-001:  Analytical and Computational Neuroscience

FALL 2009

 

Instructor:  Prof. Rotstein   

Course Description:  A mathematical and computational introduction to the biophysical mechanisms that underlie physiological functions of single neurons and synapses. Topics include voltage-dependent channel gating mechanisms, the Hodgkin-Huxley model for membrane excitability, repetitive and burst firing, nerve impulse propagation in axons and dendrites, single- and multi-compartmental modeling, synaptic transmission, calcium handling dynamics and calcium dependent currents and processes. 

Textbooks: 

        "Foundations of Cellular Neurophysiology", by Daniel Johnston and Samuel M.-S. Wu.
 The MIT Press, 1995. ISBN 0-262-10053-3.

        "Dynamical Systems in Neuroscience: The Geometry of Excitability and Bursting", by Eugene M. Izhikevich.
 The MIT Press, 2007. ISBN 0-262-09043-8.

Course Website:  http://web.njit.edu/~horacio/Math430and635/SyllabusMath430and635_F09.html

Recommended Books:

        "Biophysics of Computation - Information processing in single neurons", by Christof Koch.
 Oxford University Press, 1999. ISBN 0-19-510491-9.

        "Theoretical Neuroscience: Computational and Mathematical Modeling of Neural Systems", by Peter Dayan
 and Larry F. Abbott. The MIT Press, 2001. ISBN 0-262-04199-5.
 

Prerequisites:  Math 211 or Math 213, and Phys 121, and CS 101, CS 113, or CS 115 all with a grade of C or better.

Grading Policy:  The final grade in this course will be determined as follows: 

Quizzes:

10%

Homework:

30%

Midterm:

30%

Final Project:

30%


 

Drop Date:  Please note that the University Drop Date November 2, 2009 deadline will be strictly enforced.

NJIT Honor Code Policy:  All Students should be aware that the Department of Mathematical Sciences takes the NJIT Academic Honor Code very seriously and enforces it strictly. This means there must not be any forms of plagiarism, i.e., copying of homework, class projects, or lab assignments, or any form of cheating in quizzes and exams. Under the Honor Code, students are obligated to report any such activities to the Instructor. Please re-read Article III of the Academic Honor Code, which describes conducts that are considered unacceptable (cheating, violating the US Copyright law, etc).

Homework Policy:   A number of assignments will be given out during the semester. Assignments will be collected one week after they are given out. Only hard copies of the assignments will be accepted (NO electronic submissions). The source code used in your calculations MUST accompany the submitted homework.

Attendance and Participation:  Students must attend all classes. Absences from class will inhibit your ability to fully participate in class discussions and problem solving sessions and, therefore, affect your grade. Tardiness to class is very disruptive to the instructor and students and will not be tolerated.

Makeup Exam Policy:   There will be No make-up EXAMS during the semester. In the event the Final Exam is not taken, under rare circumstances where the student has a legitimate reason for missing the final exam, a makeup exam will be administered by the math department. In any case the student must notify the Math Department Office and the Instructor that the exam will be missed and present written verifiable proof of the reason for missing the exam, e.g., a doctors note, police report, court notice, etc., clearly stating the date AND time of the mitigating problem.

Further Assistance:  For further questions, students should contact their Instructor. All Instructors have regular office hours during the week. These office hours are listed at the link above by clicking on the Instructor’s name. Teaching Assistants are also available in the math learning center.

Cellular Phones:  All cellular phones and beepers must be switched off during all class times.


 

MATH DEPARTMENT CLASS POLICIES LINK 

All DMS students must familiarize themselves with and adhere to the Department of Mathematical Sciences Course Policies, in addition to official university-wide policies. DMS takes these policies very seriously and enforces them strictly. For DMS Course Policies, please click here.

September 7, 2009

M

Labor Day Holiday ~ University Closed

November 2, 2009

M

Last Day to Withdraw from this course

November 24, 2009

T

Classes follow a Thursday Schedule

November 25, 2009

W

Classes follow a Friday Schedule

November 26-29, 2009

R-Su

Thanksgiving Recess ~ University Closed


 

Course Outline and Homework Assignments:

 

Class

Dates

Topic of the Class

 

1

8/31

General outline - Introduction to the Neurosciences

2

9/3

Passive Membrane Properties

└►

9/7

Labor Day ~ University Closed

3

9/10

How to Solve ODE's

4

9/14

Introduction to XPP

5

9/17

Dynamics of the Passive Membrane I

6

9/21

Dynamics of the Passive Membrane II

7

9/24

Integrate-and-Fire Neuron Model

8

9/28

The Hodgkin-Huxley Model I

9

10/1

The Hodgkin-Huxley Model II

10

10/5

The Cable Equation I

11

10/8

The Cable Equation II

12

10/12

Modeling and Simulations Issues

13

10/15

Introduction to Dynamical Systems - Reduced Neural Models

14

10/19

Reduced One- and Two-Dimensional Neural Models

15

10/22

One-Dimensional Neural Models: Phase-Space Analysis I

16

10/26

One-Dimensional Neural Models: Phase-Space Analysis II

17

10/29

REVIEW FOR Midterm EXAM

└►

11/2

Last Day to Withdraw from this course

18

11/2

MIDTERM EXAM:  November 2, 2009

19

11/5

Two-Dimensional Neural Models: Phase-Space Analysis I

20

11/9

Two-Dimensional Neural Models: Phase-Space Analysis II

21

11/12

Two-Dimensional Neural Models: Phase-Space Analysis III

22

11/16

Two-Dimensional Neural Models: Phase-Space Analysis IV

23

11/19

Subthreshold Oscillations: Two- and Three-Dimensional Models

24

11/23

Subthreshold Oscillations: The Canard Phenomenon

└►

11/24

(Tues.) Classes follow a Thursday schedule

25

11/24

Student Presentations

26

11/30

Student Presentations

27

12/3

Student Presentations

28

12/7

Student Presentations

 

Finals

FINAL EXAM Week:  December 11-17, 2009

 

 

Prepared By:  Prof. Horacio G. Rotstein

Last revised:  July 15, 2009

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