An Introduction to Developmental Neuropsychology

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In this course, students will be introduced to the innovative and ’mind- blowing’ field of developmental neuropsychology. The anatomy of the brain and relevant brain functions will be introduced at the beginning of the module. Through case studies students will explore the fundamental research and the most recent advances in the field. Students will endeavour to find solutions to the questions presented by researching various articles and group discussion. For example, why is there a change in the ability to discriminate between human faces and monkey faces in babies of 12 months? And why is this difference not present at 6 months? Cognitive development is typically measured by changes or improvements in cognitive processes. In this course, processes such as language, reasoning and memory etc. will be explored in terms of their developmental trajectory and how this trajectory relates to changes in the maturing brain. We will examine how these developmental changes can be measured by various neurological methods (e.g. fMRI and EEG). The field trip included in the course focuses on the importance of neuroscientific research methods and forms a unique and practical insight into the subject matter. Midway through the course the students will construct a research proposal regarding developmental neuropsychology in subgroups and present this proposal. To conclude the course, students will sit a written exam. This course consists of 32 class hours divided over 2-3 weeks. Students earn 6 ECTS credits when they obtain a passing grade.