The purpose of the course is to give doctoral students a broad knowledge of Alzheimer's disease, covering cellular mechanisms as well as clinical features and diagnosis. Experts in the field are invited to give the lectures securing communication of up-to-date knowledge about the disease. Students will also get the opportunity to obtain deeper knowledge on specific sub-topics during the planned group assignments. The second part will provide practical knowledge about brain development, brain anatomy and connectivty and AD and dementia neuropathologies.
The first week consists of lectures given by leading clinicians and basic research scientist. In parallel, group assessments will be run directly connected to the topics of the lectures. The second week is aimed for practical microscopy exercises and demonstrations to obtain hands-on knowledge about brain development, brain anatomy, brain connectivity and AD and other dementia neuropathologies:
- Development of human brain from foetal to newborn and perinatal period. A specifical emphasis towards a transient foetal lamination pattern, migration and differentiation of the neurons, foetal neuronal circuits and plasticity in the foetal brain. The normal brain tissue and pathological lesions will be demonstrated on microscope and on MRI images.
- Development and distribution of the connection in the brain with specific emphasis on the frontal cortex circuits in the normal development, adulthood and in the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer Disease. The tracing method will be discussed, and samples will be presented by microscopy.
- The main histological features of adult human brain, cytoarchitectonic differences between different regions and importance of thalamic and basal ganglia projection to the cortex. A specific emphasis to comparative anatomy of the cortex between different species: rats, dolphins, camel, macaque, orangutan, will be presented on stained sections.
- Neuronatomical features of the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease, Parkinson Disease and Frontal lobe dementia. The extensive microscopic exercises will help students to analyze neuropathological features using diverse techniques. At the end of the course students will be examined theoretically and practically using microscope and macro preparation. The pedagogic framing is based on lectures by invited Swedish and international scientist who will cover the topics of clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, pathology, epidemiology, genetics, molecular mechanisms, animal models, therapeutic strategies. Group work with themes related to the lectures, preparation of seminars and presentation of group work. Microscopy exercises, dissection demonstrations.
Both lectures, group work and practical exercises and demonstrations are compulsory. Absence from any of these should be compensated for by essay(s) on the topic(s) missed, in agreement with the course director.
Examination
Group presentation and oral examination of the topics by an examinator. The practical skills will be examined by written examination that consists of 4 parts: questions, recognition, drawing, microscopy.
