Development can be seen as a tradeoff between genetically-determined processes and environmental stimuli. The tension between these two inputs is particularly apparent in the developing nervous system, where many events must be predetermined, and where plasticity, or altered outcomes in response to environmental conditions, is also essential. Plasticity is reduced as development and differentiation proceed, and the potential for regeneration after injury or disease in adults is limited; however, some exceptions to this rule exist, and recent data suggest that the nervous system is not as hard-wired as previously thought. In this course we will discuss the mechanisms governing nervous system development, from relatively simple nervous systems such as that of the roundworm, to the more complicated nervous systems of humans, examining the roles played by genetically specified programs and non-genetic influences. We will also discuss the similarities and differences between development and regeneration, the extent to which the nervous system is hard-wired, and the controversial idea that degeneration represents "development in reverse." Format: lecture/discussion/laboratory, six hours per week. Evaluation will be based on exams, short papers and lab reports. Prerequisites: Biology 202 and either Biology 205 or Biology 212. Enrollment limit: 20 (expected: 12). Preference given to Biology majors.

Hour: HUTSON