PATH 513: Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration

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Course Co-Directors

C. Dirk Keene, MD, PhD, Professor, cdkeene@uw.edu, tele 206.744.8273, pager 206.540.1870

Martin Darvas, PhD, Associate Research Professor, mdarvas@uw.edu, tele 206.897.5581

Caitlin Latimer, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, caitlinl@uw.edu, tele 206.744.0464, pager 206.314.6007

Dept of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, Division of Neuropathology, University of Washington

This course is an overview of cellular and nolecular mechanisms that underlie neurodegenerative diseases with emphasis on major pathways and focus on primary literature. It provides an introduction to the anatomy of the central nervous system and includes a systematic review of major neurodegenerative diseases and of epidemiologic, genetic, and clinical research tools used in the investigation of these diseases.

This is a survey level course of molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration will cover the following subjects: neuroanatomy and neuropathology, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, neuroinflammation, frontotemporal lobar degeneration and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), environmental neurotoxicity, trinucleotide repeat diseases, prion proteins and spongiform encephalopathies, vascular brain injury/white matter degeneration, and traumatic brain injury/chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Learning Goals

1. To understand the anatomic basis of diverse neurodegenerative diseases.

2. To understand the concept of proteinopathy, how proteinopathies underlie diverse neurodegenerative diseases, and mechanisms to study proteinopathies.

3. To understand the cellular and molecular basis of neuroinflammation, its role in disease, and strategies to study/manipulate neuroinflammation.

4. To understand the cellular and molecular basis of Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, trinucleotide repeat diseases,frontotemporal lobar degeneration disorders, spongiform encephalopathies, and ALS.

5. To learn about early and late effects of traumatic brain injury and the neuropathological basis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Recommended Text

Robbins and Cotran: Pathologic Basis of Disease 9th edition

Days, Time & Place

Typically occurs in Autumn quarter from early Nov to mid Dec.

Tues/Thurs, 9:00-10:20am

2021 via ZOOM.

In the future it will be in-person at Harborview Medical Center in the Ninth & Jefferson Building, 908 Jefferson St, 2nd floor, Seattle, WA 98104, or the Research & Training Building (R&T), 300 Ninth Ave, 7th floor, Seattle, WA 98104. Elevator badge access provided by instructor contact.

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