CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES Single channel
Chair (Coordinator) and Rapporteur: MARIA LEGGIO
Lecturers
Objectives
Aim of the course is to enable students to better cope up with neurological, neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders by using the main acquisition in Experimental Neuroscience.
The Laboratory will provide useful and comprehensive tools to the inclusion of students in the working world.
Knowledge and understanding.
Acquisition of the abilities to apply the main issue of Experimental Neurosciences to clinical settings.
Applying knowledge and understanding.
Students will be able to develop general skills for deepening, even autonomously, knowledge inherent the topics of the course, also simulating specific pathological condition
Making judgements.
A fundamental aspect of the course is that all students have to engage into a discussion on the topics presented by the teacher on each class. This approach will lead students to develop the ability to use the Experimental Neuroscience for explanations and alternative interpretations of the mechanisms underlying neurological, neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
Communication skills.
The course will include collegial discussion of scientific articles to which each student has to participate. This approach will lead the students to evaluate their communication skills and improve them through the interactions with peers and the supervisor.
Learning skills.
Students will be able to read and critically discuss scientific papers concerning specific topics. This will develop their ability to integrate different cognitive and behavioural approaches to set up clinical assessments targeted at specific pathological conditions.
Learning outcomes
General objectives
Aim of the course is to enable students to better cope up with neurological, neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders by using the main acquisition in Experimental Neuroscience.
The Laboratory will provide useful and comprehensive tools to the inclusion of students in the working world.
Specific objectives
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Acquisition of the abilities to apply the main issue of Experimental Neurosciences to clinical settings.
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Students will be able to develop general skills for deepening, even autonomously, knowledge inherent the topics of the course, also simulating specific pathological condition.
MAKING JUDGEMENTS
A fundamental aspect of the course is that all students have to engage into a discussion on the topics presented by the teacher on each class. This approach will lead students to develop the ability to use the Experimental Neuroscience for explanations and alternative interpretations of the mechanisms underlying neurological, neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
The course will include collegial discussion of scientific articles to which each student has to participate. This approach will lead the students to evaluate to evaluate their communication skills and improve them through the interactions with peers and the supervisor.
LEARNING SKILLS
Students will be able to read and critically discuss scientific papers concerning specific topics. This will develop their ability to integrate different cognitive and behavioural approaches to set up clinical assessments targeted at specific pathological conditions.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of Biology, Psychobiology and Anatomo-Physiology of the Nervous System.
Basic knowledge of Scientific English.
Programme
The course consists of frontal lessons and laboratory sessions
Frontal lessons
The frontal lessons for this course will focus on the main theoretical insights derived from experimental neuroscience research. The goal is to provide an advanced understanding of how these discoveries are fundamental for an innovative and more effective approach to neurological, neuropsychiatric, and neurodevelopmental disorders. We will examine the underlying mechanisms of these conditions, learning to translate scientific knowledge into more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies within a clinical context.
Lab class
In the first part of the Lab, students will study the tools in the Neuroscience to understand the interactions between cognitive processes and behavioural aspects underlying adaptive and maladaptive responses.
In the second part of the Lab, the students, divided into small groups, will employ their new acquisitions to face specific clinical conditions.
Books
Ciricugno A., Borgatti R., Leggio M., Urgesi C., Cattaneo Z. “Breve guida al cervelletto cognitivo e affettivo”, Poletti Editore srl.
Scientific papers, slides and other academic materials will be available on the course website. The material will be uploaded on Moodle at the end of each topic. At the beginning of the Course, it is possible to register through the Sapienza e-learning platform.
These readings are mandatory to pass the final exam.
Bibliography
Scientific papers and other academic materials will be available on the course website. These readings are mandatory to pass the final exam.
Lessons mode
Frontal lessons.
The laboratory will be carried out in the classroom and will include practical activities regarding the main issues of the Experimental Neuroscience: video viewing and analysis related to specific clinical cases, implementation of investigation approaches on neuropsychological and behavioural domains, simulated and study groups. Each student will be required to actively participate to critical discussions on scientific papers, oral presentations and general discussion of research projects developed by groups of students.
Frequency
Lab attendance is mandatory.
Attendance will be recorded in class during the Laboratory sessions. To take the exam, it is necessary to attend at least 75% of the Laboratory hours.
Before the beginning of the course, the schedule of the Laboratory sessions will be published on the Moodle platform..
Exam mode
The exam aims at verifying the acquisition of knowledge about the current state of the discipline and the ability to use its applicative aspects in clinical contexts. Single written exam sessions according to what defined in the academic calendar. The evaluation will take into account the effective participation of the student to the Laboratory’s activities. An additional score, ranging from 0 to 2, will be awarded based on participation in Laboratory activities.
- Number and time of tests
Final exam
- Type, duration, and administration
Written examination
- Final evaluation
The exam is on a scale of 30/30 with Honours. The final evaluation will take into account the abilities acquired by the student during the whole course. Hence, it will rely on both the theoretical classes and the practical activities.
Example exam questions
Open-ended questions covering the entire course (lectures and laboratory.
Example:
"Describe the main neuroscience research methods"
Arguments
- Introduction to teaching course (FRONTAL
LESSON 2 hours) - From Anatomical Organization to Clinical Symptoms
(FRONTAL LESSON: 4 hours) - The regulation of cognitive functions by
subcortical structures (FRONTAL LESSON: 4 hours)) - Neuropsychological battery (LAB CLASS: 9
hours) - Assessment of Intellectual quotient (LAB
CLASS: 5 hours) - Research methods in experimental neuroscience
(LAB CLASS: 10 hours) - Sequential processing of the cerebellum (FRONTAL
LESSON: 5 hours) - Subcortical control of emotions and
behavior (FRONTAL LESSON: 5 hours) - The role of subcortical structures in
social cognition (FRONTAL LESSON 4 hours and LAB CLASS: 6 hours) - Practical workshops (LAB Class: 6 hours)
Sustainability goals
- Academic year2026/2027
- Degree program to which the course belongsCognitive Neurosciences and Psychological Rehabilitation
- Lesson code10626648
- Year and semester1st year - 2nd semester
- Activity typeAttività formative caratterizzanti
- Academic areaPsicologia generale, fisiologica e psicometria
- SSDPSIC-01/B
- Mandatory presenceNo
- Languageita
- CFU6 CFU
- Total duration60 hours
- Hours distribution24 classroom hours, 36 laboratory hours