PSYCHOBIOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCHOLOGY: THEORIES AND METHODS

Course objectives

The Course is aimed to provide a basic psychophysiological training, and to introduce the broad areas of biolog-ical bases of behaviour, within a mind-body perspective Knowledge and understanding The Course is aimed to stimulate scientific reasoning and knowledge of basic methods in psychobiological perspective. Specific topics covered will include: Structure and functions of CNS, Psychopharmacology, Methods and Strategies of Research, Sensory perception, Sleep and Biological Rhythms, Emotion, Schizophrenia and the Affective Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, ADHD, and Stress Disorders, Drug Abuse. Specific attention will be devoted to the psychobiological aspects of: emotional behavior, drug abuse, and psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, affec-tive disorders, anxiety disorders, autism, PTSD). The laboratory credits (3 CFU) will aimed to deepen knowledge on psychobiological methods and techniques. More in detail, this part of the Course will be devoted to (A) Scientific Reasoning; (B) Experimental Methods in Psy-chobiology; (C) Classical studies; (D) Use of bibliographic databases (Medline and Psycho-info); (E) critical review of articles on specific topics. Applying knowledge and understanding Undestanding the role of psychobiological factors in regulating elementary and complex behaviors within an epistemological perspective which integrates mind and body. Applying knowledge will consist of critically mastering psychobiological correlates of psy-chiatric disorders and basic knowledge of psychopharmacology. This knowledge will be useful for the following steps of university education. Making judgements The Course is aimed to promote critical thinking regarding using specific measure sin basic and applied Psychobiology. Laboratory activities will be aimed to promote awareness on characteristics of scientific experimentation and on main techniques of Psychobiology. Communication skills The Course is aimed to gain specific communication skills. To this direct aim, exams will be also oral exams (additional to written exams) for contextualizing basic notions within a me-taknowledge matrix. Learning skill Students should learn an autonomous orienting towards their subsequent steps of uni-versity education.

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LUIGI DE GENNARO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
With specific reference to the Chapters of the textbook, the program of the Course will be articulated in the following topics: Chapter 3 Structure of the Nervous System (8 hours) Chapter 4 Psychopharmacology (10 hours) Chapter 5 Methods and Strategies of Research (5 hours) Chapter 11 Emotion (3 hours) Chapter 17 Schizophrenia and the Affective Disorders (6 hours) Chapter 18 Anxiety Disorders, Autistic Disorder, ADHD, and Stress Disorders (4 hours) Chapter 15 Development of CNS, neural plasticity and autism (3 ore) Chapter 9 Sleep and Biological Rhythms (8 hours) Chapter 19 Drug Abuse (2 hours) Chapter 6 Vision (2 hours) Chapter 7 Audition, the Body Senses, and the Chemical Sense (2 hours)
Prerequisites
Successfully passing the Biology exam during the first period
Books
Neil R., Carlson - Melissa A.Birket Fisiologia del comportamento Piccin - Padova 2023. (slides of the lessons will be uploaded on the institutional web page and e as videos on the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ8qkx16a4n_p1_4ZBNMsBQ) Chapter 3 Structure of the Nervous System Chapter 4 Psychopharmacology Chapter 5 Methods and Strategies of Research Chapter 11 Emotion Chapter 17 Schizophrenia and the Affective Disorders Chapter 18 Anxiety Disorders and Stress Disorders Chapter 9 Sleep and Biological Rhythms Chapter 19 Drug Abuse Chapter 15. Development of the CNS Chapter 6 Vision Chapter 7 Audition, the Body Senses, and the Chemical Sense
Teaching mode
The topics of the course will be presented through lectures soliciting an active role on the part of the students. Clinical case and video-recordings of patients will be presented. Although not compulsory, attendance at lectures is strongly recommended. Attendance will permit particpation to three different written pre-evalutions during the Course
Frequency
Practical experience within a Laboratory of Psychophysiology (3 CFU)
Exam mode
The final evaluation (i.e., exam) will consist of a written and oral assessment of acquired knowledge. During the Course, three different written pre-evaluations will be performed for students attending to the lessons. Who will pass these examinations (score≥18) will have only an oral final exam. On the other hand, who will not pass these examinations (score<18) will perform a final exam with written and oral evaluations. Exams: Written exam with oral integration. The topics of the three examinations during the Course will depend on the program of the lessons. The cut-off for admission to the oral examination is a score≥18/30. Mean duration of each oral examination is equal to 20 min. The students that have been authorized to have their examination remotely will have ONLY oral examination
Bibliography
No textbooks are requested for the practical experience in laboratory
Lesson mode
Lessons will be frontal, but they will be also remote lessons, according to the current legislation
  • Lesson code1036152
  • Academic year2024/2025
  • CoursePsychology and social processes
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year1st year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDM-PSI/02
  • CFU9
  • Subject areaFondamenti della psicologia