PSY 450: Introduction to Neuropsychology

Course Description

This coursewill focus on neuropsychological disorders and treatment, including: the history of the science, disorders associated with hemispheric specialization, motor control problems, deficits in attention, language, memory, generalized cognitive disorders, and our current understanding of the relationship between brain plasticity and recovery of function. This course cannot be used toward Science concentrations. (3 credits)

Prerequisites

  • ENG 101: English Composition 1
  • ENG 102: English Composition 2
  • PSY 320: Cognitive Psychology
  • PSY 101: Psychology (Recommended)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Upon completion of the course, the students will be able to:

  1. Understand the scientific basis of neuropsychology.
  2. Describe how biology and neuroscience contribute to the field of neuropsychology.
  3. Know the basic anatomy of our central nervous system and be able to apply this knowledge to the notion that the abnormal functioning of this system leads to abnormal behavior.
  4. Know and be able to identify key regions of the brain and be able to apply this knowledge to understanding structure-function and (abnormal function) processing with regard to neuropsychological disorders.
  5. Understand and appreciate the relationship between motor control, executive processing, and behavior.
  6. Understand and describe the relationship between disorders of object recognition, spatial processing, and attention.
  7. Explain the relation between disorders of language and memory and what areas of the brain are involved in such disorders.
  8. Understand how the frontal lobes are involved with memory, emotion and executive functions.
  9. Be able to describe and explain brain plasticity during development and how such changes influence brain/behavior changes.
  10. Describe the developmental time course over a lifetime.
  11. Know brain regions involved in, and be able to differentiate between, progressive cognitive disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Course Activities and Grading

AssignmentsWeight

Discussions (25 Pts,/Week; 200 pts total)

20%

Quizzes  (10 Pts/Week; 80 points total)

8%

Written Assignments (40 pts/week; 320 pts total)

32%

Exam 1 (Week 6; 75 points)

7.5%

Midterm Exam (Week 12; 75 points)

7.5%

Paper Part 1 (Week 10; 50 points)

5%

Paper Part 2 (Week 15; 100 points)

10%

Final Exam (Week 15; 100 points total)

10%

Total

100%

Required Textbooks

Available through Charter Oak State College's Book Bundle

  • Banich, Marie (2018). Cognitive Neuroscience. 4th ed. New York: NY. Cambridge University Press. ISBN-10: 1-316-50790-4 or ISBN-13: 978-1-316-50790-2

Course Schedule

Week

Readings and Exercises

Assignments

1

Topic: Introduction to Neuropsychology

  • Chapter 1
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - Deficits in the Sensory Homunculus
  • Submit written assignment - Navigating the Brain

2

Topic: How Neurons Communicate

  • Chapter 2
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Complete quiz

3

Topic: Methods in Cognitive Neuropsychology

  • Chapter 3
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment -Brain Imaging

4

Topic: Hemispheric Specialization

  • Chapter 4
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - The Corpus Callosum
  • Complete quiz

5

Topic: The Neuropsychology of Motor Control

  • Chapter 5
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - Complex Motor Control
  • Complete quiz

6

Topic: Understanding Early Perceptual Processing

  • Chapter 6
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - Research Paper Topic
  • Complete Exam 1

Exam 1
Exam covers chapters 1-4

7

Topic: Object Recognition

  • Chapter 7
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - Agnosia

8

Topic: Spatial Processing and Cognition

  • Chapters 7 (con...) & 8
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment -Deficits in Spatial Processing
  • Complete quiz

9

Topic: The Neuropsychology of Language

  • Chapter 9
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - The Language Hemisphere

10

Topic: The Neuropsychology Memory

  • Chapter 10
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment -Aphasia
  • Submit Research Paper Part 1
  • Complete quiz

11

Topic: Attention and Executive Functions

  • Chapters 11 & 12
  • Read assigned chapters
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment - Frontal Lobotomy
  • Submit written assignment - The Wisconsin Card Sort Task
  • Complete quiz

12

Topic: General Cognitive Disorders

  • Chapter 13
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment -The Brain and Emotions
  • Complete Exam 2

Exam 2
Exam covers chapters 5-10

13

Topic: The Neuropsychology of Brain Plasticity

  • Chapter 15
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit the written assignment - Diathesis Stress Model
  • Complete quiz

14

Topics: Brain Pathology and Neuropsychology

  • Chapter 14
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit the written assignment - Coup Contre Coupl

15

Topics: Brain Pathology and General Cognitive Disorders

  • Chapter 16
  • Read assigned chapter
  • Review the lecture material
  • Participate in the Discussion
  • Submit written assignment -Alzheimers vs. Dementia
  • Submit Research Paper Part 2
  • Complete quiz
  • Complete Final Exam

Final Exam
Exam covers all chapters with an emphasis on chapters 13-15

COSC Accessibility Statement

Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

COSC Policies, Course Policies, Academic Support Services and Resources

Students are responsible for knowing all Charter Oak State College (COSC) institutional policies, course-specific policies, procedures, and available academic support services and resources. Please see COSC Policies for COSC institutional policies, and see also specific policies related to this course. See COSC Resources for information regarding available academic support services and resources.