SUBJECT

Neuropsychology

CCNM17-116

lecture + practical

Master

Faculty of Education and Psychology

Cognitive Science MSc

Computational and Cognitive Neuroscience MSc

4

Semester 2

Spring semester

The course overviews the fundamental concepts, models and methods of neuropsychology. The course starts with introducing a general neuropsychological framework for acquired deficits, grand syndromes and their relation to cognitive architecture. As it further develops, it examines the neural bases of higher order mental functions, including research from human experimental and human clinical perspectives, while focusing on the balance in presenting knowledge both about the brain and about cognition.

Learning outcome, competences
knowledge:

• appropriate knowledge in the main fields of neuropsychology
• neuropsychlogical assessment and its relation to diagnistics

attitude:

• sensitivity to and interest in noticing neuropsychological phenomena and problems

skills:

• analysis and interpretation of neuropsychological tools

Content of the course
Topics of the course

1. The history of neuropsychology, main questions, methods; Rethinking mental disorders: the RDoC project
2. Diagnostical questions and methods in neuropsychology: sensitivity, specificity, assessment development
3. Structural, latent and growth modelling in neuropsychology
4. „The ADHD story”: from the single impairment view to the multifactorial perspective
5. [Laterality: an old issue with new questions; implications in schizophrenia and dyslexia research
6. Plasticity: declarative and procedural memory systems; implications in Tourette syndrome research

Learning activities, learning methods

Active participating, individual presentation

Evaluation of outcomes Learning requirements, mode of evaluation, criteria of evaluation:
requirements

• Midterm test (written exam)
• Individual presentation mode of evaluation: written exam + activity

criteria of evaluation:

• Number of correct answers in test
• Problem-solving and presentation skills during the presentation

• Kolb, B., & Wishaw, J. (Eds.) (2003). Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology, (5th ed). New York: Freeman.
• Strauss, E., Sherman, E. M. S., Spreen, O. (2006). A Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests: Administration, Norms, and Commentary. Oxford University Press, USA.
• Ullman, M. T., & Pullman, M. Y. (2015). A compensatory role for declarative memory in neurodevelopmental disorders. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 51, 205–222. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.01.008