Unit NEUROLOGY

Course
Assessment of individual functioning in clinical and health psychology
Study-unit Code
40252606
Curriculum
Curriculum ii
Teacher
Simone Simoni
Teachers
  • Simone Simoni
Hours
  • 36 ore - Simone Simoni
CFU
6
Course Regulation
Coorte 2020
Offered
2021/22
Learning activities
Affine/integrativa
Area
Attività formative affini o integrative
Academic discipline
MED/26
Type of study-unit
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
The main topics covered by the course will be:

- functional neuroanatomy of the cerebral cortex

- functional organization of the prefrontal cortex

- attentional networks

- executive functions and subcortico-frontal circuits

- introduction to clinical neuropsychology

- purposes and applications of neuropsychological evaluation

- neuropsychological instruments

- instrumental correlates of neuropsychological examination

- language and acquired disorders

- mnestic functions and acquired disorders

- praxic functions and acquired disorders

- gnosic functions and acquired disorders

- visual-spatial functions and acquired disorders

- Neurodegenerative diseases with dementia
Reference texts
G Vallar, C Papagno, Handbook of Neuropsychology

- Course slides available on Unistudium
Educational objectives
The main objective of the course is to provide students with the basis for an adequate knowledge of the neuropsychological examination and its use in diagnostics, with reference to pictures of cognitive deficits acquired in many pathological conditions with particular reference to neurodegenerative diseases: among these, priority importance will be given to Alzheimer's disease, in its typical and atypical presentations. The student will acquire knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of neural circuits that underlie the normal functioning of cognitive processes, the frameworks of brain alteration underlying acquired dysfunction of cognitive systems and neuropsychological correlates of these syndromes.
Prerequisites
- to increase knowledge regarding the neural basis of cognitive processes, the use of the method of anatomo-clinical correlation to correlate clinical symptoms with specific alterations in brain structure and functioning

-know the main testing tools used in neuropsychology

-interpret a picture of cognitive impairment in order to formulate a diagnostic hypothesis

-evaluate the opportunities of application of neuropsychological skills in clinical, theoretical and experimental fields

Prerequisites In order to understand and be able to apply most of the theoretical and applicative knowledge described in the course, it is necessary to have knowledge about the anatomy and physiology of the central nervous system, the concept of higher cortical functions and basic notions of neurology.
Teaching methods
The course is organized as follows:

- classroom lectures of three hours each (Monday and Tuesday), for four weeks (total 36 hours)

- Didactic seminars and exercises in neuropsychology
Learning verification modality
The examination consists of a written test divided into ten multiple-choice questions and four topics on which the student must write a short paper ("open questions") on aspects covered by the program with the aim of ascertaining the theoretical basis and essential knowledge that the student must have acquired. The time available will be 2 hours.

For information on support services for students with disabilities and/or DSA visit http://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
Extended program
- functional neuroanatomy of the cerebral cortex -1

- functional neuroanatomy of the cerebral cortex -2

- functional organization of the prefrontal cortex

- attentional networks

- executive functions and subcortico-frontal circuits

- introduction to clinical neuropsychology

- language and acquired disorders -1

- language and acquired disorders -2

- mnestic functions and acquired disorders - 1

- mnestic functions and acquired disorders - 2

- praxic functions and acquired disorders

- gnosic functions and acquired disorders

- visual-spatial functions and acquired disorders

- central nervous system pathologies with dementia - 1

- central nervous system pathologies with dementia - 2
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