CISC 3250: Systems Neuroscience



Class times: Monday and Thursday, 10:00 – 11:15am, John Mulcahy Hall (JMH) 342
Instructor: Prof. Daniel D. Leeds (my homepage)
Office: JMH 328A
E-mail:
Office hours: Tuesday 2 – 3pm, Thursday 12:00 – 1:00pm, and by appointment

Course website: http://storm.cis.fordham.edu/leeds/cisc3250/

Suggested text: "Fundamentals of Computational Neuroscience", T.P. Trappenberg, Second edition, 2010.
While the Trappenberg text is quite good, it also uses a lot more math than we will require in the course. Throughout the semester, I will highlight and explain the equations to study, and focus on conceptual understandings of what these equations are trying to capture.
Further optional text: "Computational Cognitive Neuroscience", R.C. O'Reilly, 2012.
The O'Reilly text provides another set of perspectives and illustrations on several (but not all) important topics we will cover throughout the semester. It is conveniently available for free online in its entirety.

Course description: This course studies information processing in biological neural systems from computational and anatomical perspectives. Components of natural intelligence, such as visual perception, learning, memory, and motion, are modeled as achieved in the brain. Artificial and biological neural networks are considered and compared, spanning from tens of neurons to networks of regions collaborating across the brain. Data analysis methods also are pursued, to quantify the activities of neural systems and to connect to the growing field of brain-machine interfaces.

Objectives: To understand information processing in biological neural systems from computational and anatomical perspectives. A student who successfully completes this course will be able to:



Software: Assignments will include the use of Scilab, an environment for numeric analyses and computational modeling. It will be available in the computer lab and is free for download at http://www.scilab.org. We will learn how to use this program in class.
Attendance and class participation: It is important to attend every class, and to arrive on time. One unexcused/unexplained absence is permitted for the semester. Attendance will be taken regularly. Please actively participate in class since this will make the course more interesting for everyone! Ask questions if you are unsure about something.

Laptop policy: I generally encourage students to avoid using laptops during class — the temptation for distraction can be hard to fight. That said, I do presently allow laptops to be used for note-taking or reading online course materials.

Course assignments: There will be 4 – 6 homeworks assigned for the course. The homeworks usually will be announced at least 4 days before they are due, e.g., a homework announced on Thursday may be due the following Monday. All assignments must be turned in on time.

Academic honesty: All work produced in this course should be your own unless it is specifically stated that you may work with others. You may discuss the assignment problems with other students generally, but may not provide complete solutions to one another. Copying of assignments is never acceptable and will be considered a violation of Fordham's academic integrity policy. Violations of this policy will be handled in accordance with university policy which can include automatic failure of the assignment and/or failure of the course. See Fordham's Undergraduate Policy on Academic Integrity for more information.

Exams: There will be two mid-term exams – one in February, one in April – the exact dates will be announced at least 3 weeks in advance of the exam. There will be a final in the week of May 4th.

Timing conflicts: If you have a significant issue and cannot complete an assignment on time, or cannot attend class on a certain day, whenever feasible let me know beforehand – I tend to be reasonable in such cases. Examples of significant issues include personal illness (with doctor's note) or a religious holiday on an announced exam day. In general, let me know of any significant issues that affect your performance early on.

Grading: The percentages given below are guidelines for both the student and instructor and may be changed as needed to reflect circumstances in the course. Any changes that occur during the semester will be minor.
Participation10%
Homeworks25%
Mid-terms40%
Final exam25%

Overview of topics: