The Simpsons Neuron: A Case Study Exploring Neuronal Coding and the Scientific Method for Introductory and Advanced Neuroscience Courses

A fictitious patient, Miguel, has been diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy and is awaiting neurosurgery. While in the hospital, Miguel agrees to participate in a research study in which depth electrodes are used to record neuronal activity in response to a range of stimuli. Interestingly, a neuron is identified that seems to respond selectively to video clips of the animated satirical TV show The Simpsons. Students are challenged to make observations, formulate and revise hypotheses, and interpret data, excerpted from an authentic dataset derived from actual patients in a 2008 paper. Students then consider implications for these data, evaluate their ability to generalize to non-human (rodent) models, and speculate about future directions for this research. Adaptations of this case have been implemented in introductory and advanced neuroscience courses. Students responded positively to the case, and reported gains in science competence and identity, particularly in the introductory courses. Suggestions for implementation and adaptation of this experience are offered. While this case has been implemented in undergraduate neuroscience courses, it might also be used in physiology, psychology, biology, research methods, or clinical courses.