Behavioural Neurosciences

Recommended Prerequisites

A good command of the English language is important for the course.

Teaching Methods

Theory-based classes will involve presentation of data and theory about the topics in the syllabus. Students are encouraged to ask questions and to voice their opinions and doubts during class. In the practiced-based classes, students will perform literature research, and will presente research articles.

Learning Outcomes

The main goal of this course is to introduce the topic of cognitive neuroscience and the fucntional aspects of the nervous system. The course will also introduce different neuroimaging techniques, such as fMRI, TMS, EEG,etc.

Another goal of this course is to raise awareness for the importance of reading research articles (in english) for any area of psychology. Students will read and present research papers in their practical and theoretical classes.

At the end of the course the students should understand how different psychological processes relate to different neural patterns and activity in different neural areas. They should also know which neuroimaging methods are used for research in cognitive neuroscience, and should be proficient in reading scientific articles (summarizing the main gist, understanding the theopretical assumption and methodological protocols and understanding how a particular idea/paper can lead to other research questions.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

Introduction to Cognitive Neuroscience: The Brain for beginners.

Neuroimaging methods.

Visual Neuroscience I – Retina and subcortical pathways.

Visual Neuroscience II – Primary visual cortex.

Visual Neuroscience III – Motion and Color.

Visual Neuroscience IV – Object recognition.

Neuroscience of Action – Mirror Neurons.

Neuroscience of Language.

Neuroscience of Memory.

Neuroscience of Attention and Consciousness.

Head Lecturer(s)

Jorge Manuel Castelo Branco de Albuquerque Almeida

Assessment Methods

Continuous
Frequency: 50.0%
Other: 50.0%

Final
Exam: 100.0%

Bibliography

Livingstone, M., Hubel, D. (1988). Segregation of form, color, movement, and depth: anatomy, physiology, and perception. Science, 240, 740-749

Sereno MI, et al. (1995). Borders of multiple visual areas in humans revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. Science, 268, 889-893

Newsome, WT and Paré, EB (1988). A selective impairment of motion perception following lesions of the middle temporal visual area (MT). J. Neurosci. 8, 2201-2211

Kriegeskorte et al. (2008). Matching Categorical Object Representations in Inferior Temporal Cortex of Man and Monkey. Neuron, doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2008.10.043

Rizzolatti, G. & Craighero, L. (2004). The mirror-neuron system. Annual Review of Neuroscience 27: 169–192

Ward, Jamie – (2010) - The Student's Guide to Cognitive Neuroscience, 2nd Edition; Routledge-uk