Neurobiology and Anatomy Department at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy
The Department ofNeurobiology

Topics in Neurobiology of Disease

Course Directors: Jaroslaw Aronowski, Ph.D., John Byrne, Ph.D.
Contact Dr. Aronowski for class dates, times and
meeting locations (see contact information below)


Course Description

The topic for Fall, 2008 is “Neurovascular Diseases” and will be an integrated approach to neurological vascular diseases, addressing both physiological and pathological aspects of the role the neurovascular unit plays in controlling brain integrity.  The brain vessels do not only act as simple plumbing system carrying oxygen to support neuronal activity, but they are an integral component of the environment that directly impacts (e.g. by releasing trophic factors or proteases) the physiological function of both healthy and diseased  brain cells.  

This course will explore the mechanisms governing the function of the brain vascular system in order to understand how impairment in vascular integrity influences/causes neurological diseases. Pathologies that will be discussed in this course include ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, traumatic brain Injury, spinal cord injury, arterio-venous malformation(AVM), Moyamoya disease and cerebrovascular dissection, and Cadasil syndrome.  The mechanisms of blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid disruption, cerebral edema, and neuro-inflammation will also be discussed.  

This course is a unique offering open to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and medical students.

Course Requirements

This is a Pass/Fail course based on attendance and successful submission of the answer to the Final Exam.

Course Downloads

Course Director Contact:

Course Director:      Dr. Jaroslaw Aronowski
E-mail Address:       J.Aronowski@uth.tmc.edu
Office:                        MSB 7.210
Phone:                      (713) 500-7059