Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience

Course Content

The programme consists of eight taught modules (worth 15 credits each) and an empirical research project (worth 60 credits).

Programme modules:

• Principles of Neuroscience: Brain anatomy, techniques and paradigms
• Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
• Mental Health, Well-being and Neuroscience
• Fundamental Processes in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology I
• Fundamental Processes in Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology II
• Social Cognition and the Social Brain
• Statistical models
• Research Methods and Programming.

Course Structure Modules description Principles of Neuroscience: Brain anatomy, techniques and paradigms

This module provides an introduction to key concepts in neuroscience. You will learn about the different techniques and methodologies commonly applied to address questions in neuroscience, as well as about specific paradigms used to decompose cognitive processes in the brain, and theories these approaches are based on. The module will also introduce you to basic concepts of neuroanatomy. Selected papers and seminars will provide the foundations to critically reappraise different methodologies and paradigms. This will equip you with the basic knowledge for distinguishing different theoretical frameworks and theories.

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

This module is designed for both beginners and students who already have some in-depth knowledge of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. The aims of the module are to: (1) develop a good understanding of current theories and approaches in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, (2) critically discuss classical and current research, and (3) analyse current theories and models in this area. This module will cover the fundamental processes in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and you will engage with the following topics: (1) the neural basis of memory development in childhood and later adulthood, (2) the neural basis of the effects of stress and trauma on memory development, and (3) autism and the neural basis of cognitive functions in aging.

Mental Health, Well-being and Neuroscience

This module is designed to provide you with the opportunity to learn about the neurobiological perspective on mental health and illness and its implications for clinical practice and research. You will learn about the relevance of biological models for diagnosis and treatment of different clinical disorders and the role of stress (in contributing to) and well-being (in protecting against) these disorders. You will also learn about basic Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and other evidence-based treatment techniques.

Fundamental Processes in Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuropsychology I

This is the first of two modules on the current state of knowledge in the field of cognitive neuroscience. This module focuses on our understanding of fundamental cognitive processes including perception and attention as well as decision making and executive functions. You will learn about current research and theories on the underlying brain mechanisms in healthy adults which will be further enriched by past and current neuropsychological and lesion studies. Findings from a wide range of neuroimaging techniques will be considered.

Fundamental Processes in Cognitive Neuroscience & Neuropsychology II

This is the second of two modules on the current state of knowledge in the field of cognitive neuroscience. This module will cover a variety of crucial topics related to learning, cortical plasticity, memory and language. These are important mental abilities, but also frequently affected in patients. You will discover exciting results about these abilities, learn methods to study them in the healthy brain, and examine cases where they break down.

Social Cognition and the Social Brain

Social Neuroscience is a branch of Cognitive Neuroscience concerned with the neural underpinnings of social behaviour. Understanding how we interact with others is regarded by many as a key challenge facing scientists in the 21st Century. Despite being a relatively young discipline, the study of the 'Social Brain' is therefore one of the fastest growing and most productive areas of contemporary Cognitive Science. In this module students will learn how we recognize people, how we understand and interpret their behaviour, how we empathize and attribute mental states to them, how we learn through observing and interacting with them, and how our interactions shape our decisions. Throughout the module students will learn how these processes can go wrong in certain clinical conditions and how clinical observations have informed models of the Social Brain.

Statistical models and Research Methods and Programming

Setting up, running and interpreting experiments is a core skill for researchers in clinical, social and cognitive neuroscience. Moreover, clinical psychologists often find that they have more research training than their medical colleagues, and are consequently called upon to design and implement research studies in a medical context. Hence, for both researchers and clinicians, the capacity to analyse data (and to understand the way in which others have analysed data) is essential for publishing and critiquing research and remaining current in evidence-based practice. In these two complimentary modules, you will be progressively taught to use Matlab, a flexible high-level programming language, to control experiments and analyse data. You will be introduced to the main methods of neuroscientific data collection, such as EEG and fMRI, and learn the statistical procedures necessary to analyse them. Finally, you will be introduced to the concepts and practical skills that allow us to characterise normal and disordered behaviours using cognitive and computational models.

Research Dissertation

The Research project provides students with the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills to enable them to design and conduct independent empirical research in Social, Clinical and Cognitive Neuroscience. You will join a laboratory and will have practical 'hands-on' experience of addressing a particular research question working closely together with experts in the field.

Invited speakers programme

There is also an invited speaker's programme showcasing eminent people from the world of neuroscience. The knowledge, skills and the interests students develop during the course of their study will be used in the research dissertation, which provides an opportunity to join a laboratory and undertake a major piece of independent high-quality research supervised by a specialist from the Department of Psychology.