THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING

Course objectives

Educational Objectives. The general purpose of the course is to provide a thorough understanding of the methods of clinical evaluation, diagnostic classification, and anatomical correlates of cognitive function disorders resulting from localized or degenerative brain injury. The course will guide the student in the study of the clinical, anatomo-functional and theoretical problems addressed by Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology and to illustrate how these problems are now being revisited through methods and paradigms developed more recently in the broader field of Cognitive Neuroscience. The student who has taken the course with profit will have acquired all the knowledge fundamental to understanding neuropsychological issues that arise in both clinical and experimental settings. The knowledge of clinical and experimental neuropsychological issues gained by taking the course will therefore have relevant translational value. The course consists of a series of lectures (6 credits). Upon completion of the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following specific learning objectives (Dublin indicators): - Knowledge and understanding. Through lectures and course study, students are expected to show thorough knowledge and understanding of: a) methods of clinical and experimental investigation of cognitive function in patients with acquired brain injury; b) methods of classification and clinical evaluation of neuropsychological disorders; c) methods and principles of differential clinical diagnosis; d) methods for studying neural correlates of neuropsychological disorders - Ability to apply knowledge and understanding. Students will be able to contextualize and use the knowledge acquired to: a) understand and assimilate theoretical and empirical developments offered by new studies in the field of Neuropsychology and Cognitive Neuroscience; b) interpret the results obtained from clinical-neuropsychological assessments and screenings; c) know how to interpret the results of anatomical/radiological investigations and reports - Autonomy of judgment. The student will be able to use the acquired knowledge for an effective understanding of the neural basis of cognitive functions in brain-injured and healthy subjects. In addition, the student will have developed the ability to identify and make suggestions for improving the assessment and study of cognitive function in neuropsychological patients and healthy subjects - Communication skills. The student will be able to report in written and oral form the content conveyed by lectures and reading of study and further study texts in Italian and/or English. He/she should also demonstrate ability to communicate in a non-specialized form the course content and ability to summarize the neuropsychological-clinical picture of patients with appropriate language. - Learning skills. Students should be able to show: a) good educational continuation in clinical and experimental neuropsychology; b) independently acquire and develop new diagnostic or experimental tools.

Channel 1
FABRIZIO DORICCHI Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The topics of lectures are as follows (in chronological order): 1. Neuropsychological Syndrome, Symptomatological dissociations, Methods in the study of Single Cases and Groups of patients, Anatomical-Functional correlations. 2 Movement: Neurophysiology, Visuomotor Incoordination, Grasping, Apraxias. 3. Visual perception. Visual field, Dysmetropsias, Agnosia. 4. Attention: Vigilance, Selective attention, Spatial attention, Reward and Attention, Prediction and Attention. 5. Language: Aphasia, Dyslexia, Acalculia, Neural representation of numbers. 6. Memory. 7. Emotions. 8. Frontal lobes: Neurophysiology, Disexecutive syndrome, Predictive behaviour, Neuroeconomy. The hystorical development, the current status of knowledge and the most recent empirical and theoretical developments of each topic will be described during the series of lectures. Video examples of neuropsychological syndromes and practical examples of neuropsychological testing will be provided. Finally, during the last part of the course students will be provided with basic notions in the study of the anatomical correlates of neuropsychological disorders.
Prerequisites
Structural and functional neuroanatomy, Cognitive Psychology
Books
Neuropsychology: from theory to practice David Andrewes 2nd edition Psychology Press
Frequency
Lessons can be attended in presence or on-line
Exam mode
The written test will consist of 4 open thematic questions
Lesson mode
Aim of the course is to promote knowledge of the methods and theories on cognitive functions impairments following brain lesions, of the methods of diagnostic assessment and classification of such impairments, and of the study of the neural/lesion correlates. The main aim of the course is to provide students a guide on studying clinical, anatomical-functional and theoretical issues in Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology illustrating recent methodological and theoretical approaches recently developed within Cognitive Neuroscience approach. The successful completion of the course entails that students have acquired the fundamental knowledge for understanding the neuropsychological deficits observed in clinical settings as well as the theoretical issues typical of experimental neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. Knowledge of clinical and experimental neuropsychology acquired with the successful completion of the course has an important translational value. The aim of the course is to provide students with a detailed overview and understanding of the main clinical, anatomical-functional and theoretical issues in Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology and to illustrate the most recent methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of the same issues developed in contemporary Cognitive Neuroscience. The course will specifically address the following topics: 1. Neuropsychological Syndrome, Symptomatological dissociations, Methods in the study of Single Cases and Groups of patients, Anatomical-Functional correlations. 2 Movement: Neurophysiology, Visuomotor Incoordination, Grasping, Apraxias. 3. Visual perception. Visual field, Dysmetropsias, Agnosia. 4. Attention: Vigilance, Selective attention, Spatial attention, Reward and Attention, Prediction and Attention. 5. Language: Aphasia, Dyslexia, Acalculia, Neural representation of numbers. 6. Memory. 7. Emotions. 8. Frontal lobes: Neurophysiology, Disexecutive syndrome, Predictive behaviour, Neuroeconomy Specific teaching goals Acquiring knowledge of theories, methods and techniques in clinical and experimental Neuropsychology and in Cognitive Neuroscience: a) diagnosis and classification of main neuropsychological disturbances; b) methods for studying the neural correlates of neuropsychological disturbances; [Knowledge and understanding]; Learning how to use neuropsychological competence to improve the understanding of normal brain functioning and improve neuropsychological testing in brain damaged patients and healthy humans [Applying knowledge and understanding; Making judgements]. Learning to critically analyze and report in written and oral form the arguments treated in the course of oral lessons and in handbooks; learning to communicate the contents of the course to non-specialized audience [Communication]; Developing a critical approach to form one’s own opinion on the results of neuropsychological evaluations and to understand and discuss the results of studies in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience [Making judgements]; Acquiring all competences required to proficiently attend specialization courses in Neuropsychology or Ph.D. courses in Cognitive Neuroscience [Learning skills]
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseCognitive neuroscience
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year2nd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDM-PSI/02
  • CFU3