Cognitive Neurosciences and Psychological Rehabilitation

The course of Developmental Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation is organized into 12 theoretical lessons (24 hours) and 12 laboratory lessons (36 hours). Theoretical Lessons: Introduction to Developmental Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation: Course objectives, main theoretical approaches, introduction to neuropsychological assessment and diagnostic-rehabilitative techniques. Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology: Brain development during infancy and adolescence, brain plasticity, environmental and genetic factors. Cognitive processes: Attention, memory, language, reading, writing, calculation, executive functions, visuospatial and temporal abilities. Neuropsychological assessment: Neuropsychological assessment tools and methods for children and adolescents, standardized tests and protocols. Acquired neuropsychological disorders. Traumatic brain injuries, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases: evaluation and intervention methods. Forensic Neuropsychology: Evaluation of cognitive functions and behavior in legal forensic contexts. Therapeutic approaches: Neuropsychological rehabilitation, brain stimulation, pharmacotherapy, and other cognitive-behavioral therapies. Module 3: Identification and intervention programs for specific disorders 6. Action and language. Language development and intentional movement execution processes, specific language and action disorders, dysphasia and dyspraxia: evaluation and intervention methods. Neuropsychological profiles of bilingual children and deaf children. Reading, writing, and calculation disorders. Dyslexia and text comprehension, dysgraphia, dysorthography, dyscalculia: evaluation and intervention methods. Visuospatial and temporal ability disorders. Visual recognition disorders, spatial organization, time perception, and prosody: evaluation and intervention methods. Executive function disorders. Attention deficit and hyperactivity (ADHD), disorganization, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, planning, and problem-solving: evaluation and intervention methods. Metacognition and emotional-behavioral components disorders. Anxiety, depression, eating disorders, behavior, and personality disorders: evaluation and intervention methods. Autism Spectrum Disorders: Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorders. Intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Definition and classification, cognitive and behavioral deficits, evaluation and intervention methods. Students will have the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired during the frontal lessons and to use neuropsychological assessment tools to evaluate children and adolescents. They will also have the opportunity to work in groups to analyze evaluation results and to plan personalized rehabilitation programs based on collected data. The 12 laboratory lessons of the Developmental Neuropsychology and Rehabilitation course are: Evaluation of cognitive functions in early childhood. Evaluation of cognitive functions in school-age children and adolescents. Evaluation of cognitive functions in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities. Evaluation of language in children and adolescents. Evaluation of praxis in children and adolescents. Evaluation of cognitive and emotional functions in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ADOS, PEP3). Evaluation of cognitive functions in children and adolescents with specific learning disorders. Evaluation of cognitive functions in children and adolescents with behavior and attention disorders.

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Developmental Neuropsychology Vicki Anderson, Elisabeth Northam, Jacquie Wrennall -The Learning brain. Lessons for education di Blakemore and Frith

The course is constituted by lessons, grouped into main themes as indicated in the program. Classroom discussions are planned on specific thematic areas and at the end of the course to offer students a space for critical reflection on their learning path.

Based on the course requirements, students are expected to attend all scheduled lessons and actively participate in class discussions and activities. Class attendance is strongly encouraged.

To assess the acquired knowledge, the exam will be oral and will last about 20 minutes, consisting of three questions that cover the entire program and will contribute to 50% of the final grade. Each thematic core covered during the laboratory, developed by the student based on the teacher's indications, will weigh the remaining 50% in the final evaluation. To evaluate the acquired knowledge of non-attending students, the oral exam will last 30 minutes and will include questions on the entire theoretical and laboratory program. Each thematic core covered during the course will have the same weight in the final evaluation. The exam questions will assess whether the student has gained a deep understanding of the course contents, can integrate different concepts, theories, and evidence, and can critically analyze existing evidence and provide clear answers on the assessment and rehabilitation of individual cognitive disorders in children and adolescents. The final evaluation will include an assessment of the student's personal contribution during the course, such as active participation in class discussions and interest in course materials. Relevant contributions will be rewarded up to a maximum of 6 bonus points. To pass the exam, the student must obtain a grade not lower than 18/30, demonstrating a basic knowledge of the topics. To achieve a score of 30/30 cum laude, the student must demonstrate an excellent knowledge of all topics covered during the course and have developed a specific theme. The exam will be repeated in five different sessions established by the Faculty in the Academic Year.

The list of English scientific articles for the course will be made available on the e-learning platform at https://elearning.uniroma1.it/. The password to access the platform will be provided to students at the start of the course.

The course in developmental neuropsychology and rehabilitation is divided into 12 theoretical lessons. During the theoretical lessons, students will acquire an in-depth knowledge of the processes and mechanisms of brain development and the main neuropsychological theories of development, as well as the main neuropsychological disorders in children and adolescents. The psychobiological and neural correlates of the central nervous system, brain plasticity, and techniques used in neuropsychological evaluation and rehabilitation will be explored. During the laboratory lessons, students will acquire practical skills through the use of neuropsychological assessment tests and approaches for the planning of personalized rehabilitation programs, assisted by the teacher. In addition, throughout the course, students will develop effective and clear communication skills and learn to use appropriate representational tools. Discussions with students and various forms of independent and collaborative work will be encouraged. Materials used during the lessons will be made available to attending and non-attending students who request them during the semester.