Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Neuropsychology
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English
Teaching staff
Students will be seen after class and/or by making an appointment.
Introduction
The Neuropsychology course aims to provide the necessary knowledge to understand the neural substrates of cognitive functioning in human beings, to identify the main neuropsychological syndromes associated with different neurological disorders (strokes, epilepsy, dementias, traumatic brain injuries or brain tumours). Likewise, the primary cortical dysfunctions related to the appearance of cognitive changes (attention syndromes, aphasias, amnesias, anomias, apraxia, frontal pathology). During the course, additionally, emphasis will be placed on how to administer a neuropsychological assessment in children and adults and how to identify the most relevant clinical, demographic and psychological information to make a neuropsychological diagnosis with associated intervention or rehabilitation
Pre-course requirements
There are no prerequisites, although it is advisable to have completed and studied the subjects of Psychobiology and Psychophysiology.
Objectives
1. To know the main neuropsychological conditions and dysfunctions of the superior cortical regions.
2. To acquire basic knowledge about dementia and its different typologies.
3. To introduce the student to neuropsychological assessment, both in childhood and in adulthood.
4. To acquire the necessary knowledge to determine a neuropsychological diagnosis based on relevant clinical and psychological information.
5. To establish the knowledge bases for the design and implementation of neuropsychological rehabilitation.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB03 - Students must have the ability to bring together and interpret relevant data (normally within their area of study) in order to issue judgements that include a reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific and ethical nature.
- CE01 - The ability to carry out appropriate Psychology-specific actions to achieve set targets in a specific work environment.
- CE03 - The ability to make adequate decisions about what Psychology-specific methods and measuring instruments to use in each situation or evaluation context.
- CE08 - Awareness of the professional reality of psychologists in a specific field of application.
- CE09 - The ability to identify the biological basis of the functions of Psychology and human behaviour, with an understanding of how they work and their influence on other aspects of a person.
- CE12 - The ability to explain and identify the main stages of human development, recognise their progression and identify the characteristic signs and symptoms of the most frequent psychological conditions in each stage of development.
- CE14 - The ability to recognise the basis of normal and altered human behaviour.
- CE18 - The ability to identify the structures and processes involved in basic psychological functions and recognise the nature of individual differences.
- CG05 - Understanding of the limitations of the psychological analysis of human behaviour and the ability to incorporate concepts and analytical techniques from other disciplines.
- CT03 - The capacity for analysis and synthesis.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Once the student has finished the course, they should be able to:
a) Explain and recognize dysfunctions and alterations produced by pathologies of the frontal lobe in a written test.
b) Identify attentional dysfunction in a real case.
c) Recognize memory dysfunction and disorders in a real case.
d) Differentiate language dysfunctions secondary to neurological damage in a written test.
e) Recognize dysfunctions and alterations of perception in a real case.
f) Explain alterations in motor function secondary to neurological damage in a written test.
g) Identify different types of dementia in a written test.
h) Differentiate different neuropsychological tests used for child neuropsychological evaluation versus neuropsychological tests used for adult neuropsychological evaluation in a written test.
i) Correctly administer neuropsychological tests in a real case.
j) Point out the objectives and principles of a neuropsychological rehabilitation in a written test.
Syllabus
Topic 1. Introduction to neuropsychology
Topic 2. Hemispheric location and hemispheric asymmetry
Topic 3. Alterations of the frontal lobe
Topic 4. Attention disorders
Topic 5. Memory disorders
Topic 6. Language alterations secondary to neurological damage
Topic 7. Alterations of perception.
Topic 8. Alterations in motor function secondary to neurological damage.
Topic 9. Dementias
Topic 10. Child neuropsychological evaluation
Topic 11. Neuropsychological evaluation in adults
Topic 12. Neuropsychological rehabilitation
Teaching and learning activities
In person
| TRAINING ACTIVITY | METHODOLOGY |
| Lectures will be the setting in which students will learn and use the terminology and linguistic structures related to the sphere of study, for the purpose of practising and developing oral and written communication skills and becoming familiar with the literature and instruction materials provided to better integrate the curricular content. | Session in which the lecturer presents and explains the course content. This learning methodology allows for the use of audiovisual methodologies that support the content description. Students may interact and actively participate in this session. Debates and discussion in large and small groups, which help develop the students’ critical thinking and judgement skills. This method encourages participation and initiative, the asking of constructive questions and the presentation of new problems that promote critical thinking. |
| The guided reading of texts aims to develop the students’ critical thinking skills, which play a fundamental role in creating citizens who are both aware and responsible. | Debates and discussion in large and small groups, which help develop the students’ critical thinking and judgement skills. This method encourages participation and initiative, the asking of constructive questions and the presentation of new problems that promote critical thinking. |
| Case studies are a learning technique in which the subject is given the description of a specific situation that poses a problem, which must be understood, assessed and resolved by a group of people through discussion. Case studies are generally resolved in groups to promote student participation and develop their critical thinking skills. They also prepare students to make decisions, teaching them how to back up their arguments and contrast them with the opinions of the other group members. | This is where the students consolidate what they have learned through study, the looking up of information, the processing of data and the process of integration. |
| Project-oriented learning is a method based on experiential and reflective learning in which the process of researching a particular subject matter proves very important, with the aim of resolving complex problems based on open solutions or addressing complicated issues that enable students to generate new knowledge and develop new skills. | Group work promotes the convergence of the students’ ideas, tasks and proposals for the purpose of carrying out a cooperative project based on each student’s inter- and intrapersonal competences. |
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Evaluation:
70% Written test (10% mid-term test + 60% final test)
10% PIR type test
20% Work
A minimum of 5 will be required in the written content tests to be able to average the other grades, and the subject will be approved with a minimum average of 5 taking into account all the evaluated parts. In case of suspending the written tests or the PIR type test, it must be recovered in the retake.
Retake:
70% Written test (all contents, no mid-term test will be considered)
10% PIR type test
20% Work (same grade than 1st call)
A minimum of 5 will be required on the test to average. The subject will be approved with a minimum average of 5 taking into account all the evaluated parts.
Bibliography and resources
- Kolb B & Whishaw I. (2017) Neuropsicología Humana. Buenos aires: Editorial Médica Panamericana
- Walsh, K.W. (1986). Neuropsicología clínica. Madrid: Editorial Alhambra, S.A.
- Dennis Rains G. (2003) Principios de neuropsicología humana. Edit. McGraw Hill
- Ellis AW & Young AW. (1992) Neuropsicología Cognitiva Humana. Barcelona: Editorial Masson
- Junqué C & Barroso J. (2001) Neuropsicología. Editorial Síntesis
- Muñoz Céspedes JM & Tirapu J. (2001) Rehabilitación Neuropsicológica. Madrid: Editorial Síntesis
- Tirapu J, Ríos M & Maestú F. (2008) Manual de Neuropsicología. Barcelona: Viguera editores
- Pérez M. (2009) Manual de Neuropsicología Clínica. Madrid: Ediciones Pirámide
Evaluation period
- E1 10/01/2024 A12 12:00h
- E1 10/01/2024 A10 12:00h
- E2 19/06/2024 A04 10:00h