PSYC404-17W (C) Whole Year 2017

Research in Human and Animal Neuropsychology

30 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 20 February 2017
End Date: Sunday, 19 November 2017
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 5 March 2017
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 10 September 2017

Description

The broad multidisciplinary nature of the study of brain and behaviour, including evidence from human and animal work. Aspects of memory and a range of neuropsychological disorders are covered.

After the 1st of February unfilled places in this course will be available until the first week of lectures.

Information on the fundamentals of neuropsychology is provided as well as by seminars that cover selected topics.  The course deals primarily with human neuropsychology, focusing on various CNS disorders, from both clinical and experimental perspectives.  An important part of the course is to include relevant work on animal models that is pertinent to understanding human disorders and the broader multidisciplinary study of brain-behavour relations in general.  The specific seminars are not fixed and particular student interests will be considered. For example, likely topics would be: experimental approaches to recovery of brain function (intracerebral neural transplants; trophic factors); the prefrontal cortex and cognition; the neuropsychology of attention; dementia (e.g. Alzheimer's disease); multiple sclerosis; Parkinson's disease; memory disorders (limbic system functions); foetal alcohol syndrome; schizophrenia; attention deficit disorder; autism; neural basis of learning and memory.  As far as possible, the emphasis is on contemporary knowledge and understanding emanating from recent empirical work.  Some practical experience in research-related tasks may also be provided (e.g. human neuropsychology testing, a contribution to an animal project and/or a research proposal).  Sometimes, a visiting academic or member of the local health community will provide an additional perspective.

Learning Outcomes

On satisfactory completion of the course, student will:
1. be familiar with some common tests and approaches to neuropsychological questions;
2. have a critical understanding of brain-behaviour relationships derived from in depth analyses of a range of common human brain disorders, including contributions from animal models of some of those disorders.

This course is limited to 20 students.

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of Department.

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

John Dalrymple-Alford

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Presentation & associated essay 25%
Outline of Research Proposal 25%
Research Exercise 25%
Final Exam 25%

Textbooks / Resources

NO SET TEXT; READING LIST WILL BE PROVIDED

Course links

Library portal

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,926.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

Limited Entry Course

Maximum enrolment is 20

For further information see School of Psychology, Speech and Hearing .

All PSYC404 Occurrences

  • PSYC404-17W (C) Whole Year 2017