PSICOG09 - EXPERIMENTAL AND CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGY

courses

ID:

PSICOG09

Duration (hours):

60

CFU:

SSD:

PSICOBIOLOGIA E PSICOLOGIA FISIOLOGICA

Located in:

CHIETI

Url:

Course Details:

PSYCHOLOGY/NEUROSCIENZE COGNITIVE Year: 1

Year:

2025

Course Catalogue:

https://unich.coursecatalogue.cineca.it/af/2025?co...

Date/time interval

Secondo Semestre (09/02/2026 - 30/05/2026)

Course Objectives

The module contributes to the fulfillment of the educational goals of the Psychology Master Degree, by providing the instruments for the comprehension of the mind-brain-behavior relationship in atypical populations, which suffered brain injuries
The student will have to demonstrate the acquisition of:

knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and methodological bases of the discipline, with particular reference to the most recent development of anatomo-clinical correlation;
knowledge and understanding of the neuropsychological deficits included in the course programme;
ability of linking and integrating knowledge;
ability of developing original ideas on the way of studying and evaluating the neuropsychological deficits by means of modern anatomo-clinical correlation, as well as of formulating hypotheses on physiological and pathological brain functioning;
ability of communicating knowledge in a clear way and through disciplinary lexicon;
ability of critically and autonomously analyzing topics of main interest.

Course Prerequisites

As a prerequisite, the students are required an advanced psychobiological knowledge.

Teaching Methods

The course has 60-hour duration, and the contents are presented through lessons in lecture hall, taking advantage of power point or similar software slides (made available to the students), reading and discussion of scientific articles, as well as critical vision of explicative clinical cases.
Attendance is not compulsory but strongly recommended.

Assessment Methods

The exam has two modalities for those attending and non-attending the course.
For those attending, it is possible to divide the exam into two partial tests.
Partial 1: the test is written and consists of three open questions that focus on the topics of Part I of the program. It is carried out in itinere once the corresponding part of the program has been completed. The evaluation criteria are in line with what is indicated in the "Educational objectives" and are based on: knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and methodological foundations of the discipline as well as the modern anatomical-clinical correlation (Objective 1). The test is achieved with a grade expressed in thirtieths greater than or equal to eighteen, which can be maintained for the entire academic year.
Partial 2: the test is oral and focuses on the topics of Part II of the program. The test is aimed at verifying the acquisition of knowledge, as well as their understanding and critical integration. The grade is expressed in thirtieths. The evaluation criteria are in line with what is indicated in the "Educational Objectives" table and are based on: ability to organize and verbally articulate the knowledge learned, ability to analyze and critical reasoning, clarity and quality of presentation, also through the use of the lexicon of the discipline.
The final grade is calculated as follows: 20% Partial 1 (Part I of the program) and 80% Partial 2 (Part II of the program)
For non-attending students, the exam is oral and focuses on all the topics of the program, i.e., Part I and Part II.
The test is aimed at verifying the acquisition of knowledge, as well as their understanding and critical integration. The grade is expressed in thirtieths. The evaluation criteria are in line with what is indicated in the "Educational Objectives" table and are based on: ability to organize and verbally articulate the knowledge learned, ability to analyze and critical reasoning, clarity and quality of presentation, also through the use of the lexicon of the discipline.

Texts

Part I:

Manuale di neuropsicologia. Giuseppe Vallar and Costanza Papagno (2018). Ed: Il Mulino. Third edition. (Chapters: 1,3,4).
Materials provided during lectures.
Slides of the course.

Part II:

Manuale di neuropsicologia. Giuseppe Vallar and Costanza Papagno (2018). Ed: Il Mulino. Third edition. (Chapters: 6,7,8,9,10,11,13,14,15,16,18)
Materials provided during lectures.
Slides of the course.

Optional readings:

Il cervello al lavoro. Nuove prospettive in neuropsicologia”. A cura di Bisiacchi & Vallesi, (2017). Ed: Il Mulino. Limited to chapter: 6 “Network neurali distribuiti, comportamento e disturbi neuropsicologici.”
Manuale di neuropsicologia. Normalità e patologia dei processi cognitivi. Franco Denes et al. Ed: Zanichelli. Third edition.
Scientific articles available on the Course e-learning page.

The course provides advanced knowledge on experimental and clinical neuropsychology, with particular emphasis on modern anatomo-clinical correlation and disconnectionist interpretations of the main neuropsychological syndromes.By developing critical thought in both theoretical and methodological domain, the course provides the crucial cognitive instruments for a productive integration within multidisciplinary equipes in clinical and research settings.The course is made up of two parts.The first part deals with the theoretical and methodological foundations of neuropsychology. In particular, through an historical-methodological excursus on anatomo-clinical correlation, the framework of connectomal diaschisis is presented, with a focus on the changes of the brain systems following structural damage. Furthermore, knowledge about the applications of structural and functional imaging techniques in the neuropsychological field is provided.The second part presents the clinical description, theoretical interpretations and neural bases of the main syndromes and disorders following acquired cerebral injuries.