2017-2018 / GBIO0005-2

Introduction to cognitive neurosciences

Duration

15h Th, 15h Pr

Number of credits

 Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS)3 crédits 

Lecturer

Gilles Vandewalle

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course is divided in 8 chapters:
1. Introduction
2. Neuroanatomy
3. Neuroimaging techniques
4. Sleep and wakefulness
5. Sensory systems
6. Visual system
7. Attention
8. Memory


Each chapter covers notions and basic principles that are often applicable to aspect that are not covered (e.g. audition).
Practical courses are also included in PARTIM2: realization of an neuroimaging experiment at the Cyclotron Research Centre.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The student will assimilate the main bases of the functioning of the nervous system, without a detailed understanding of it. He will be able to explain a behavior on the basis of the sub-systems sustaining it. Through the practical part of the course, he will get a better idea of the type of work one could do within a biomedical orientation.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

No prerequisites

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Participative oral lectures: explanation of presented slides while students are encouraged to interrupt and ask questions.


Practical courses (mandatory): the group is divided in groups of 3-4 students and each group takes part to an electrophysiology experiment.

Short oral presentation on a theme related to the course and defined at the beginning of the quadrimester.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

Face-to-face teaching
Slide are writen in English and presented in French (they could be presented in English if requested).
Practical course (mandatory)

Recommended or required readings

No written notes are given to the students. Copies of the slides are e-mailed to all student before eaxch courses and student are encouraged to take notes.
No mandatory reading other than slides and personnal notes.
Recommended readings:
- Principles of Neural Science, 5th edition, eds. Kandel et al. (2013), Mc Graw Hill Companies
- Fundamental Neuroscience, 4th edition, eds. Squire et al. (2012) Elsevier

Assessment methods and criteria

Oral examination.
The student picks randomly 3 questions, prepare his answers for 20 min before being interrogated for 20 min. The picked questions set the bases of a discussion that can cover all aspects of the course.
The student must be able to locate different parts of the brain in an atlas (3 structures, of a list of about 10 given prior to the exam). Participation to the practical courses will be taken into account for the final mark. The evaluation of a short oral presentation done by each student will also be taken into account (theme set at the start of the course).
 

Work placement(s)

N/A

Organizational remarks

Student are encouraged to print the slides of the course (small format). Slides will be sent via e-mail and made available on MyULg at least 24h prior to each course.

Contacts

Gilles Vandewalle
Cyclotron Research Centre
Bât. B30, Université de Liège - Sart Tilman
8 allée du Six Août, B-4000 Liege, Belgium
T: +32-4366-2367
F: +32-4366-2946
gilles.vandewalle@ulg.ac.be