Duration
60h Th
Number of credits
| Master in psychology (120 ECTS) | 6 crédits |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
Lectures (30h, given on Friday).
This course begins with the presentation of the classifications of the main cognitive and behavioural animal models and with the explanation of the notions of validity, analogy and homology used in the assessment and the improvement of these models (E. Tirelli).
It will continue with an overview of the main behavioral and cognitive tests - functional animal models - used in fundamental or preclinical research. Some of them will be detailed : motor functions, sensation, learning and memory (A. Ferrara).
It also will concern the detailed presentation of representative animal models of alcohol abuse (E. Quertemont) as well as of a cerebral pathology (integrative animal model - A. Ferrara); valididy and translational research notions will be put forward.
Personal work (30h, three mandatory organization meetings for this work will be defined in the scheduled time slot on Tuesday).
It consists of an oral presentation or a written report. The student will have to handle with a functional or integrative animal model such as one of the followings:
- Motor or sensory functions.
- Learning and conditionning.
- Memory and memory phases.
- Pain (algology).
- Perception.
- Learning and conditioning.
- Eating and drinking
- Reproductive behaviors (sexual and parental).
- Adult social behaviours.
- Infant and adolescent social behaviours.
- Addictive behaviours (except alcohol abuse).
- Stress and stress determinants.
- Anxiety (normal and abnormal).
- Depression.
- Schizophrenia and hallucination.
- Autism.
- Behavioural and cognitive effects of brain lesions.
- Genotype x environment interactions (factors typically involved).
The personal work dealing with a functional animal model will aim at presenting various tests used for the assessment of the same function (for example, the inhibitory control and impulsivity, motivation, attention, working memory, ...) by insisting on the definition of the function, the comparison to the same function in man, the good understanding and description of the tests (procedures, behavioral measures, ...), important factors which allocate the performance to the test, the question of the validity and of translational research, etc.
The personal work dealing with an integrative animal model will aim for example at presenting a battery of tests used within the framework of the assessment of the animal model of a human pathology (for example, neurodegenerative pathology or developpement disorder) by insisting on the definition of the pathology, the presentation of the symptoms which accompany it, the comparison of the pathology induced in the animal to the human pathology, the good understanding and the description of the tests used (procedures, behavioral measures, ...), the question of the validity of the test battery, etc.
In both cases, the oral presentation (The duration and format of the oral presentation will be specified in the course) or the written report (20-25 pages) will be based on the reading of several scientific articles including a recent review (if possible) as well as of some empirical or methodological articles.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
Understanding the determinant role of the cognitive and behavioural animal models (without neglecting their limitations and drawbacks) relatively to psychology, neurosciences and preclinical research.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
None.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Analysis of scientific texts and oral presentation. Active participation to the seminar.
Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)
Lectures.
Seminars with an oral presentation performed by each student or individual written report.
Recommended or required readings
PDF files on MyULg ; main articles provided by the teacher for the lectures and/or bibliographical references to find by the student for the personnal work.
Assessment methods and criteria
Assessment at first session :
A first mark (maximum 10 points) is obtained for the oral presentation or the written report accompanied by an interview with the teacher in charge. A second mark (maximum 10 points) is obtained for the written exam, which will include open questions relative to the lecture.
The student must obtain at least 5/10 for the written exam and 5/10 for the oral presentation or the written report to validate the 6 ECTS.
Assessment at second session :
If the student obtained a mark less than 5/10 for the written exam, he(she) represent again the written exam at the second session.
If the student obtained a mark less than 5/10 for his/her oral presentation or written report, he/she realize another oral presentation or written report at the second session.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
The lecture will be given on Fridays mornings.
For the personal work, the student will have to interact with the referent teacher according to the planned schedule (the information will follow in the myULiege / Course Support section).
For the evaluation in first session, the oral presentation will be realized at a date fixed for every student at the beginning of the lecture or the written report will be necessarily handed the week preceding the winter holidays.
For the evaluation in second session, the oral presentation will be realized at an agreed date with the teacher (possibly, the day of the written examination) or the written report will be necessarily handed by July 31st.
Contacts
a.ferrara@uliege.be (tél.: +32 4 366 22 32).
equertemont@uliege.be (tél : +32 4 366 21 05).
ezio.tirelli@uliege.be (tél: +32 4 366 20 18).
Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the May-June 2020 session
Teaching methods implemented : distance-learning
Assessment subjects
Assessment methods
Contacts
Adaptation of teaching commitments following the COVID-19 pandemic for the Aug-Sept 2020 session
Assessment subjects
No changes.
Assessment methods
Development questions via eCampus (open book exam; 2h, at the time scheduled for the exam).
Written report to be submitted to the supervisor concerned by August 5, 2020.