PSICOG11 - NEUROSCIENCE OF MENTAL DISORDERS

courses
ID:
PSICOG11
Duration (hours):
60
CFU:
6
SSD:
PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA
Located in:
CHIETI
Url:
PSYCHOLOGY/NEUROSCIENZE COGNITIVE Year: 2
Year:
2025
Course Catalogue:
https://unich.coursecatalogue.cineca.it/af/2025?co...

Overview

Date/time interval

Primo Semestre (29/09/2025 - 20/12/2025)

Syllabus

Course Objectives


Students will acquire advanced knowledge on the neuroscientific basis of the main mental disorders, and the necessary tools to understand the nature of the complex relationship between mental disorders and the brain. For this reason, the module contributes to the general educational objective of the Psychology course.
Students who successfully complete this module will acquire:
- knowledge and ability to understand the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to major mental disorders;
- knowledge and ability to understand the contribution that the neuroscientific approach can make in the psychopathological field, using the different techniques available;
- the ability to integrate interdisciplinary knowledge and manage the complexity of the study of the relationship between mental disorder and brain, as well as to formulate hypotheses on pathological mental functioning from behavioral or neuroimaging data;
- the ability to appropriately communicate the contributions of neuroscience to the relationship between mental disorders and the brain to both specialist and non-specialist interlocutors;
- the ability to reflect on their own performance, make constructive use of feedback, work independently, and plan work effectively.

Course Prerequisites


Basic knowledge of the anatomy of the nervous system and of the synaptic transmission mechanisms, as well as knowledge of the methods applied in neuroscience is strongly recommended.

Teaching Methods


60 hours including: i) 2/3-hour lectures, 2 or 3 times per week (48 hours in total) according to the academic calendar; ii) class-group works to foster critical thoughts, communication skills and reflective ability.

Assessment Methods


The test will be carried out by oral questions and interview, possibly supplemented by a multimedia teaching demonstration.
Evaluation grid:
30 cum laude: in-depth knowledge of the contents of the bibliography and lessons combined with a critical language not only precise and congruous but already inclined to the best teaching effectiveness
28-30: in-depth knowledge of the bibliography and of the content of the lessons expressed through an exact and congruous critical language and of appreciable argumentative clarity.
24-27: Good knowledge of the bibliography and the content of the lessons. Critical language with some inaccuracies and not always congruous to the object, presence of excessive simplifications in the exposure.
18-23: Sometimes uncertain knowledge of the contents of the bibliography and lessons. Critical language in which generalizations and inconsistencies are present. Presence of simplifications partially inadequate to the content of the exhibition.
Invitation to repeat the test:
Serious gaps in the preparation both concerning the texts in the bibliography and the subject of the lessons.
For attending students, an alternative assessment method is available, consisting of three in-progress evaluations. The first is a multiple-choice questionnaire designed to assess the acquisition of basic knowledge. The second consists of open-ended questions and aims to evaluate the ability to organize and articulate knowledge in a structured, discursive manner. The third is an oral presentation on a topic of the student's choice, intended to assess critical thinking skills and the quality of the presentation, including the appropriate use of subject-specific terminology. Each component is graded on a scale of 30, and the final grade is the arithmetic average of the three scores.

Texts


It is strongly recommended to visit the e-learning page of the module regularly. The e-learning page will be used to upload lecture’s slides, scientific articles illustrated during lectures, additional readings and all the exam material.

Contents


In this module I will provide an integrative overview of the field of mental disorders, emphasizing the neuroscientific aspects. Each mental disorder will be viewed from the perspective of different disciplines, such as genetics, neuroscience and behavioural sciences. Moreover, for each mental disorder, the most seminal and recent neuroscientific literature will be illustrated and critically discussed.
This module aims to:
- provide significant understanding of the neuroscientific methods currently available for the investigation of the different mental disorders; provide knowledge about the neuroscientific aspects of different mental disorders;
- provide examples of translational research and stimulate students to critically reflect on the clinical applications of neuroscientific methods.

Course Language

English

More information


Attendance is highly recommended;​​​​​​​
Office hours: wednesday 11 am-1 pm (room 316, third floor, ITAB or via Teams/Skype)

Degrees

Degrees

PSYCHOLOGY 
Master’s Degree
2 years
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