Cognitive neuroscience

The course is structured in theoretical lectures (24 hours) and supervised practical activities (laboratory, 36 hours). The theoretical lectures will provide an overview of theoretical issues concerning the birth and develop-ment of Social Neuroscience field (6 hours). A second group of lectures will focus on the presentation of the different functions and neural mechanisms relevant for the field of social neuroscience: 1) social perception, 2) social emotions, 3) empathy, 4) theory of mind, 5) action understanding and motor function in social contexts, 6) decision making in social contexts, 7) stereotyping and intergroup processes (9 hours). A third section of the course will focus on the research methods applied in the field of social neuroscience: 1) behavioral indexes, 2) electrophysiology (EEG, MEG), 3) brain imaging (fMRI, NIRS, DTI), 4) brain stimulation (TMS, tDCS), lesion anal-yses (VBLSM), 5) autonomic and thermal imaging (9 hours). During the lectures focusing on practical activities, students will be engaged in activities directly focusing on re-search methods (36 hours). These activities will be broken down in different types of lectures. Some of these (12 hours) will focus on reading and commenting the methods and theoretical value of 4 scientific papers. Students will be divided in small groups and will be asked to design experiments to test hypotheses on social functions in healthy subjects as well as in clinical samples (9 hours). Students will be asked to present to the class the de-signed experiment, proving a short introduction about the literature on the chosen topic, research hypothesis, methods, expected results and translational potential (9 hours). In a different set of lectures, students will be given the chance to get into laboratories where they will directly see how some of the main experimental methods are used in the field (brain stimulation, EEG, psychophysiological recordings, behavioral measures, motion kinematics, thermal imaging) (6 hours).

Preconditions for successful outcome of the course is bachelor level knowledge of theories and methods of Be-havioral Neuroscience, Psychophysiology and/or Neuropsychology.

1. Jamie Ward (2012) The Student's Guide to Social Neuroscience. New York. Psychology Press 2. Further relevant papers for the course will be provided on-line on the e-learning site.

The course will first introduce current theoretical models of social functions and their neural underpinnings (12 hours). Secondly, the course will start presenting up-date evidence in the field of social neuroscience in different emotional, cognitive and behavioral domains (18 hours) and methodological approaches (18 hours). During this second section, students will be engaged in practical activities (36 hours). During the course, students will re-ceive grades on their assignments concerning the practical activities of laboratory (i.e., answering to questions concerning the 4 papers studied in class, presenting the experiment that they have designed in small groups) so that they will be able to change their approach to the course and modify their study method if needed.

Class attendance and participation to laboratory activity are strongly suggested.

Two main types of activities will be evaluated during the entire course: 1) studying and commenting papers in class, 2) designing and presenting an experiment for the laboratory part. The two main factors that will be evaluated in these two activities are: 1) Evaluating knowledge, understanding and applying of knowledge and understanding to new topics: analysis of the different component of the presented paper (identification of the main findings, critical evaluation of the methods and techniques chosen, correct placement of the findings in the context of the most recent advances in the field); frequency and relevance of questions, comments and criticisms during paper discussion; ability to place aims of proposed research projects in broader, multidisciplinary contexts. 2) Evaluating communication, making judgements, learning skills: quality and clarity of the slides and of oral presentation of the designed experiment; pertinence and clarity of answers to question and criticisms during discussion; quality of the background support to the aims of the proposed project.

Further relevant papers for the course will be provided on-line on the e-learning site.

The course will first introduce current theoretical models of social functions and their neural underpinnings (6 hours). Secondly, the course will start presenting up-date evidence in the field of social neuroscience in different emotional, cognitive and behavioral domains (9 hours) and methodological approaches (9 hours). During this second section, students will be engaged in practical activities (36 hours). During the course, students will re-ceive grades on their assignments concerning the practical activities of laboratory (i.e., answering to questions concerning the 4 papers studied in class, presenting the experiment that they have designed in small groups) so that they will be able to change their approach to the course and modify their study method if needed.