66560 - Neurosciences

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student acquires the major information on the main Cognitive Neurosciences topics, such as perception, learning and memory, emotions and language. In particular, the student is able to: manage the information received; read and comprehend neuroscience papers; use this neuroscience background for bioinformatics.

Course contents

This course is focused on information-processing, coding and storage and on action-plan and execution by the nervous system, including movement, language and speech. It refers to cognitive processes and to physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms which underlie these functions. Therefore, the major topics to be covered include:

· Introduction to neuroscience: basic anatomy of the nervous systems; structure and function of neurons;

· Methods in cognitive neurosciences. Brain atlas;

· From sensory inputs to action: somatic, visual, auditory, and chemical sensory systems; motor control;

· Plasticity during development and in the adult brain;

· Learning and memory;

· Cognitive basis of emotion;

· Consciousness and sleep;

Language and speech; brain lateralization.

Readings/Bibliography

Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM. Principles of Neural Science, 4th ed. McGraw-Hill, 2000.

Puves D, et al. Neuroscience, 3rd ed., 2004, Sinauer Associates Inc.

Gazzaniga M.S., The Cognitive Neurosciences III: Third Edition, Bradford Books, 2004

Teaching methods

Frontal lectures.

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Monti