Animal and cellular electrophysiology

Lipid bilayer
This practical course aims to teach students the fundamentals of the electrical properties of a cell membrane and the ion transport across it. We will use the bilayer method to build an artificial cell membrane and examine pore forming molecule by analysing the currents.

Cellular electrophysiology
Study of the electrical properties of excitable cells and ion channels. Introduction to conventional electrophysiology techniques: voltage-clamp and current-clamp in whole-cell configuration.

Hippocampal slices
Using extracellular potential measurements in acute brain slices, we will study the long-term potentiation (long-lasting increase in synaptic transmission in response to specific stimuli). This has been proposed to be a cellular mechanism essential for learning and memory formation.

Human electrophysiology

Scalp and intracerebral electroencephalography / event-related potentials
This course will start with a theoretical introduction to the nature of electroencephalographic (EEG) signals, and its use in human neuroscience research – including the recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) to characterize sensory and cognitive processes. Technical aspects of signal acquisition (electrodes, amplifiers, filters, analog-to-digital conversion) and clinical applications will also be covered. Practical sessions will teach students how to perform an EEG/ ERP recording, and how to analyse the recorded signals using available signal-processing toolboxes. Several advanced approaches (e.g., EEG source analysis and blind source separation techniques, real-time EEG signal processing, EEG frequency tagging) will be introduced, as well as the use of intracerebral EEG in human research, and EEG applications for rodent studies.

Non-invasive brain stimulation
This course will provide students with in-depth theoretical and practical insights into the array of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques that are used in clinical and experimental human research, including single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), repetitive TMS, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS). Following a theoretical introduction on the mechanisms of action of the techniques, practical sessions will allow students to experiment various approaches including the recording of TMS-evoked brain potentials and understand when and how the approaches can be combined with behavioral assessments and functional neuroimaging. Several innovative methodologies will be introduced such as MRI-guided neuronavigation, real-time EEG phase-specific TMS and multifocal tACS. Safety aspects will also be covered.

Electromyography and gait analysis
This section will explore the basic principles of surface and needle electromyography (EMG), with a specific focus on the use of multichannel surface EMG recordings combined with motion and force data acquisition to explore motor control and human kinematics including gait analysis.