Course Syllabus

Neuroplasticity: The Brain and Behavior

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Semester & Location:

Spring 2018 - DIS Copenhagen

Type & Credits:

Elective Course - 3 credits

Major Disciplines:

Neuroscience, Pre-Medicine/Health Science, Psychology

Faculty Members:

Claudia Carrara-Augustenborg, Ph. D - cau@dis.dk

Program Director:

Carla Caetano, Ph. D. - cca@dis.dk

Program Assistant

Alexandra Fischbach - alfi@dis.dk

Time & Place:

Tuesdays and Fridays, 10.05-11.25, N7-C23 


Course Information and Purpose 

Course Description

Prerequisites: One semester of neuroscience, physiological psychology, or biological psychology at university level.

This course will focus on neuroplasticity from a predominantly behavioral perspective. Emphasis will be on:

  1. the neural development of the human brain and implications for psychological and social behavior
  2. the adult brain and neuroplasticity with respect to both learning and aging
  3. brain repair with focus on rehabilitation of the adult brain after acquired brain injury.

 

Course Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Identify the principles of neuroplasticity from a behavioral perspective;
  • Compare and contrast neuroplasticity across the lifespan;
  • Evaluate the role of neuroplasticity in pathology;
  • Appraise the aftermath of neuroplasticity in the context of neurodevelopmental disorder
  • Evaluate brain plasticity embedded in the individual

 

The following topics will be covered during the course:

Theme 1: Principles of Neuroplasticity

  • Foundations of neural development
  • Principles of cerebral development
  • Experiential influences on neuronal plasticity
  • Plasticity of language network

 

Theme 2: Learning and Aging

  • Learning principles: Neural and behavioral factors
  • Memory
  • Normal brain aging
  • Brain aging and neurodegeneration
  • Biocultural perspectives on brain plasticity

 

Theme 3: Pathological factors and brain plasticity

  • Brain plasticity in early damage: Neurological, developmental and psychosocial dimensions
  • Early Brain Insult: Neural and behavioral principles of rehabilitation
  • Brain Injury Rehabilitation. Efficacy of treatment.
  • Clinical perspectives on neuroplasticity: Depression, stress and schizophrenia
  • Plasticity and atypical brain architectures
  • Neuroprotection and Neuroplasticity

 

Instructor: Claudia Carrara-Augustenborg, Ph.D.

Ph.D. in Cognitive Neuroscience from University of Copenhagen (Denmark) and M.Sc Psychology (Major in Clinical and Neuropsychology). Interests are focused on the neural mechanisms that mediate and modulate human consciousness and subjective perception, and on the functional and neural distinctions between conscious and unconscious cognitive and emotional processes. With DIS since 2013.

 

Course Components

Required Textbook (available at DIS Library)

  • Baltes, P.B., Reuter-Lorentz, P.A., Rösler, F. (eds.). (2010) Lifespan Development and the Brain: The perspective of Biocultural Co-Constructivism. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press

 Required Articles and Other Media

  • Additional articles can be found on Canvas. See Course Schedule below.

 

Course Readings

Selected Book Chapters

Anderson, V., Northam, E., Hendy, J., Wrennal, J.  (2006). Developmental Neuropsychology – A clinical approach. Psychology Press Taylor & Francis Group

Baudry, M., Bi, X., Schreiber, S.S. (2005). Synaptic plasticity: Basic mechanisms to Clinical Applications. Boca Raton, FL, Taylor & Francis Group LLC

Halligan, P.W., Kischka, U., Marshall, J.C. (eds.) (2006). Handbook of Clinical Neuropsychology, Oxford, UK, Oxford University Press.

Kolb, B., Whishaw, I.Q. (2003). Fundamentals of human neuropsychology, Worth Publishers

Journal articles

Deluca GC, Kimball SM, Kolasinski J, Ramagopalan SV, Ebers GC. (2013). The Role of Vitamin D in Nervous System Health and Disease, in Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. Jan 21.

Fortin A, Lefebvre MB, Ptito M. (2010). Traumatic brain injury and olfactory deficits: the tale of two smell tests!” in Brain Inj. 24(1): 27-33.

Yaniv Sagi, Ido Tavor, Shir Hofstetter, Shimrit Tzur-Moryosef, Tamar Blumenfeld-Katzir, Yaniv Assaf (2012). Learning in the Fast Lane: New Insights into Neuroplasticity, in Neuron Volume 73, Issue 6, Pages 1195-1203,

Martin SJ, Grimwood PD, Morris RG. (2000). Synaptic plasticity and memory: an evaluation of the hypothesis, in Annu Rev Neurosci. 2000; 23:649-711.

Pittenger C, Duman RS. (2008) Stress, depression, and neuroplasticity: a convergence of mechanisms, in Neuropsychopharmacology Jan;33(1):88-109.

Rajji TK, Rogasch NC, Daskalakis ZJ, Fitzgerald PB. (2013). Neuroplasticity-based brain stimulation interventions in the study and treatment of schizophrenia: a review, in Can J Psychiatry Feb;58(2):93-8.

Shu-Chen Li, (2008). Brain is also a Dependent Variable: Biocultural Coconstruction of Developmental Plasticity Across the Life Span, in Research in Human Development, Special issue: Lifespan psychology – The legacy of Paul Baltes, Volume 5, Issue 2, pp. 80-93

Snowball A, Tachtsidis I, Popescu T, Thompson J, Delazer M, Zamarian L, Zhu T, Cohen Kadosh R., (2013). Learning in the Fast Lane: New Insights into Neuroplasticity, in Curr Biol. 2013 Jun 3;23(11):987-92.

White EJ, Hutka SA, Williams LJ, Moreno S., (2013). Learning, neural plasticity and sensitive periods: implications for language acquisition, music training and transfer across the lifespan, in Front Syst Neurosci. 20;7:90.

 

Field Studies

This course will be accompanied with field studies. Field studies connect DIS courses to organizations, companies, sites, and/or persons that are relevant to the course topic.

Lions Kollegiet

Date: Feb. 14th

Time: 09:00 - 12:00

Location: Tuborgsvej 140 , 2300 København

 

Memory Workshop: Mechanisms and Techniques

Date:  April 25th

Time: 17:00 - 18:30

Location: N7-B13

 

Guest Lecturers:

Hana Mala Rytter, Ph.D., Institute for Psychology, Copenhagen University

   Topic: Brain Injury Rehabilitation-- Evidence-based practice vs. practice-based evidence

  

Carla Caetano, Ph.D., PSY Program Director of DIS

  Topics: Rehabilitation treatment and challenges following acquired brain injury.

 

Approach to Teaching

Lectures, class discussions, case studies, group presentations, critical analysis of research (individual/groups), field studies.

 

Expectations of the Students

Class attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to have done the reading for each class and to come with notes and questions for me and for the other students. This will give us material to generate conversation. It is also expected that during classes the students are able to discuss and to present topics and to respond questions providing references to our readings to support their points. Active participation during classes will constitute 20% of the grade. Finally, it is expected that students hand in their assignment on time (late papers will not be accepted) and that they contribute significantly to planned group activities.

 

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class, the students must complete all of the assigned work.

 

Assignments and Evaluation

The final grade for this course will be based on two tests, a research paper, two group presentations and participation.

Methods of Evaluation

 

How Evaluated

Due Date

Percentage of Grade

Participation (incl. group-presentation questions) and   Attendance

 

Individual

Throughout the course

20%

Group Presentation

 

Individual

See course schedule

10%

Midterm

 

Individual

March 2nd

25%

Research Paper

 

Individual

 April 10th

20%

Final Exam

Individual

May 4th

25%

Total

 

 

100%

 
Participation (incl. group-presentation questions) and Attendance (20%):

Since class participation is a major component of the course, you will need to be present and participating to receive full credit.

Class participation includes, but it is not limited to: (see also evaluation criteria on Canvas)

  • critically evaluating the model/hypotheses suggested in readings
  • asking relevant questions that show understanding of the material – with tentative considerations/conclusions
  • being prepared for class and be ready to answer questions when asked
  • discussing implications as regards practical application and/or future research considerations
  • contributing to class activities

 

Group Presentation (10%):

Groups of approx. 2-4 students will be presenting a topic in class (ca. 10 min.), after which there will be ca. 10 min. discussion with the rest of the class, answering prepared questions (see Group-presentation Questions below)

Contents should include (but not be limited to):

  • Introduction of the key issues of the topic
  • Method employed to investigate it
  • Identification and discussion of key findings/knowledge
  • Critique of methods and potentially of the findings
  • Examples/Applied cases

 

Group-presentation Questions:

Students not presenting should demonstrate their participation by preparing discussion questions with focus on the presented topic; the questions should be based on the students own reflective considerations, can be open-ended or can be in form of thought-provoking comments, e.g. (with reference to the due reading), “It is mentioned in the text that a child adjusting to a developmental disorder and a child adjusting to an acquired brain injury have very different experiences. What might underlie the lack of a sense of "normality" in a child with a developmental disorder and the feeling of loss of "normality" in a child with an acquired brain injury?”; “The authors of this paper made no mention of clinical testing following the first stroke. Why might this be a source of dubiousness for the overall conclusions drawn in the paper?”

 

Midterm (25%):

Date: See above

Short-questions + 2 short essays (selected among 6 available topics)

 

Research Paper (20%):

Due: See above

Assessment and evaluation of 2-3 case studies in the context of brain damage and rehabilitation.

 

Final Exam (25%):

Date: May 4th

Short questions + 3 short essays (selected among 6 available topics)

 

In addition to the academic content of the written assignments(s), focus will also be placed on the structure, use of appropriate academic language, and writing skills.

 

 

 

Policies

Attendance:

You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss a class for any reason please contact the faculty no later than the day of the missed class. If you miss multiple classes the Director of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS. Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note.


Academic Honesty, Plagiarism, and Violating the Rules of an Assignment:

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.

 

Policy on Late Papers:

Late papers will not be accepted.          

                                   

Policy for students who arrive late to class:

Students arriving over 15 minutes after the beginning of class will not be allowed to participate. One exception throughout the course will be given to students who arrive within 15 minutes after the beginning of class.

 

Use of laptops or phones in class 

To establish a positive learning environment, it is important that everyone is present in body and mind, and not distracted by technology or other disruptive behaviors. Therefore, students are not allowed to use laptops/Tablets/iPads in the classroom unless agreed upon for specified tasks such as article reading and/or for discussion purposes and/or note-taking. Cellular phones must be switched off during class. Disregard of these rule will have a very negative impact on the student participation grade.

 

Expectations and Code of Conduct:

  • Reading must be done prior to the class session
  • Since class participation is a major component of the course, you will need to be present and participating to receive full credit. Your grade will be negatively affected by unexcused absences and lack of participation.
  • Classroom etiquette includes being respectful of one another’s opinions, listen to others and enter a dialogue in a constructive manner.

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

Course Summary:

Date Details Due