Unit name | Theoretical and Clinical Neuropsychology. |
---|---|
Unit code | PSYCM0067 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | M/7 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Professor. Kit Pleydell-Pearce |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None. |
Co-requisites |
None. |
School/department | School of Psychological Science |
Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
This unit comprises two components described as “Part A - Clinical Neuropsychology in Practice” and “Part B - Theoretical Neuropsychology”.
Part A: Clinical Neuropsychology in Practice
Part A seeks to provide students with a detailed understanding of a diverse range of issues connected to clinical neuropsychology in practice. One component of the teaching provides students with taught content provided by subject matter experts across a range of medically relevant disciplines (e.g. neurosurgery, neurophysiology, dementia, epilepsy, movement disorders, sleep disorders, radiology, MRI). Candidates can discuss and probe the experts’ roles and knowledge and in particular explore how these various related disciplines interface with the role of a clinical neuropsychologist in a day to day medical context.
Attendance of lectures for Part A is compulsory.
Part B: Theoretical Neuropsychology
Part B focuses upon key theoretical issues within Neuropsychology. The Unit involves weekly lectures, and each focuses upon a basic function (e.g. attention, memory, emotion) while also focusing upon a major neuropsychological syndrome that is related to that function (e.g. neglect, emotional disorders). This means that students will learn both about theories of brain function and about particular syndromes that might be typically observed following various kinds of brain damage or dysfunction. The Unit will involve coverage of both cortical and subcortical function and will emphasise system-wide contributions to integrated cognition and behaviour.
The aim of the unit is to provide an overview of theories concerned with the cerebral bases of some key cognitive, affective and psychomotor processes. This will provide students with an understanding of issues that are at the frontiers of contemporary research and theory. These questions are not simply issues associated with functional neuroanatomy. For example, there may be agreement that a particular brain region or system is associated with a particular function (e.g. vision). However, the functions and algorithms underlying processing of visual information remain controversial. It is the attempt to specify these processes, within a hypothesis-testing scientific framework, that is the focus of this unit.
Part A:
The principal learning outcome is to develop competence in clinical practice and how that practice relates to interactions with a range of allied medical specialities.
Part B:
At the end of the unit, candidates will have an understanding of a range of contemporary theories concerning cerebral bases of cognitive, affective and psychomotor function. Candidates will also realise that making inferences about underlying function can be problematic, and will appreciate the need for a critical approach to interpretation of empirical data.
Part A:
A series of lecturesdelivered in a week block by clinical subject matter experts.
Part B:
Weekly lectures.
2000 words coursework essay which requires students to provide evidence of critical understanding of a topic in theoretical neuropsychology (100% of total unit mark).
Essential
None.
Recommended
Part A: Clinical Neuropsychology in Practice
Part B: Theoretical Neuropsychology