12/29/2016 Welcome to NPSY 199
(Human Neuropsychology)
Spring Semester, 2016
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 – 3:20 (Block N)
(GZang 121)
Professor Wingfield’s office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30 – 4:30pm and by appointment
Nicole Ayasse’s office hours: Tuesdays 11:00am – noon and Thursdays 9:00 – 10:00am
Nikki Amichetti office hours: Thursdays 3:30 – 4:30pm
LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
a) To gain an appreciation for the logic-from-data development of
our understanding of the functional organization of the human brain, from antiquity to modern neuroscience.
b) To learn the functional neuroanatomy underlying higher-level
cognitive functions such as language and memory.
c) To gain an understanding of the behavioral consequences of
damage to the brain, such as due to stroke or traumatic brain injury,
and effects of adult aging on sensory and cognitive function.
Pre-requisites: PSYCH 1a OR MATH 10a, and at least sophomore standing
Required Text: “Principles of Neuropsychology” (2nd Edition)
Thomson/Wadsworth, publishers
(Plus additional readings on LATTE as assigned)
Grading: Grading will be based on two in-class Exams (25% each),
Plus a three-hour Final Exam (50% of grade).
In-Class Exam #1: Thursday, Feb 11, 2016
In-Class Exam #2: Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Final Exam: As Scheduled by the Registrar
……………………………………………………………………………………….
NOTES ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE COURSE
You will see from the Syllabus on the following pages that you will be reading sections from your textbook in a different order than they are covered in your textbook. Why is this?
Lecturers and authors of textbooks often disagree on the best (i.e., the most logical) order in which topics should be covered. For example, your textbook has a separate chapter (Chapter 2) on methods for studying the brain. These include structural imaging (CT, structural MRI) and functional imaging (PET, fMRI, SPECT, etc.).
This is reasonable, but it could be argued that one cannot really understand how to “read” these images without understanding the ventricular and vascular systems, which are not described in your textbook until much later (in Chapter 5). In this, and many other cases, the order of readings as they are given in the course syllabus follow what I think is the most logical sequence and grouping of topics.
For this reason, you should read the syllabus carefully, and follow the reading assignments in the order they are indicated on the syllabus; and don’t be surprised if occasionally I will list a section you will already have read, for a review. I will of course remind you in class on a regular basis what you should be reading for each set of lectures. If you are ever unsure, don’t be afraid to ask.
Will I be expected to know a lot of anatomic names and functions that will require me to study hard to do well in the course?
Yes.
Will I be expected to actively participate in the class?
From time-to-time at the beginning of a class there will be an unannounced group exercise. In this exercise the class will be given a brief quiz. Each student will work independently for a period of time and then be assembled into groups of six or so students who will discuss the individual responses and collectively construct a good answer. A single written response will be submitted from each group. The combined group answer will be signed by all members of the group. Feedback will be given to the class in the form of examples of strong and weak answers.
The course textbook is the 2nd edition. Can I use the 1st edition?
No. Use only the second edition because the authors have made substantial revisions since the 1st edition. (I have used this textbook before, so used copies might be available – but make sure it’s the 2nd edition.)
There is so much information in the book, how can I determine what I should know for my personal general knowledge versus what I will be expected to know for the exams?
Exam questions will be drawn from both lectures and the reading assignments in your textbook. I will try to make clear in my lectures what information you should know for your own general knowledge and what information you should be prepared to see on one of the exams. If unsure, don’t be afraid to ask; I’ll be happy to clarify at any time.
What weightings will be given to the two in-class exams and the final exam in determining your course grade?
As indicated above, there will be two in-class exams and a 3-hour Final Exam. The date and time of the Final Exam will be scheduled by the registrar. Each of the in-class exams will count 25% of your grade. The two in-class Exams will not be cumulative. However, the 3-hour Final Exam will include both new material since the last exam, as well as material covered on the two in-class exams. The Final Exam will count for 50% of your grade.
The dates for the two in-class Exams are listed on the syllabus. Barring illness you will be expected to be there. Do not make commitments, travel or other plans,or allow anyone to make plans for you, for those days.
The syllabus divides the course into three major Units, and shows the order in which Units I – III will be discussed, the inclusive dates for these Units, and the reading assignments for the sub-topics within each Unit. You are expected to read an assigned chapter before coming to class, but the syllabus does not show the specific date on which each sub-topic will be discussed.
My hope is that this class will be interactive, and I welcome questions, comments, and thoughts on topics being discussed. It’s good for the learning process – and it’s also more fun. For this reason I would rather move at a rate dictated by the dynamics of the class rather than feeling we must adhere to a strict time-table regardless. I will attempt to keep us on track with the readings by indicating in class when you should start reading on a particular topic. If ever you are unclear, don’t be afraid to ask.
How can I get more information on a topic?
I will be happy to recommend readings and other sources for anyone interested in pursuing a particular topic in greater detail. There are four short chapters in your textbook that are devoted primarily to clinical issues (Chapters 3, 10, 11 and 16). I commend them to you, but they will not be required reading for the course.
Will the PowerPoints used in class be made available on LATTE?
I will make every attempt to make the PowerPoints for my lectures available on LATTE at least by noon on the first day of the set of lectures that cover a particular topic. Many people find it valuable to bring a hardcopy to class in order to more easily follow along and take notes at appropriate points.
Will I find everything your lecturer says in class written on the PowerPoints?
No. Many people find it useful to print out ‘hard copies’ of the PowerPoints and bring them to class; you may wish to write your own notes on them and/or use them to guide your note taking.
What is the class laptop policy?
Laptops or other portable electronic devices may be used in the classroom. If you use them, however, you will be expected to use them only for the purposes of note-taking or viewing materials related to the class.
Laptops should not be used for any other purpose (e.g., checking e-mail, checking the latest L.L. Bean catalogue, etc). Using a laptop or other portable electronic devicefor such purposes is distracting and disrespectful to those around you. (If you are unable to control these impulses no matter how you try, I request that you sit in the last row of the classroom so as to not distract classmates sitting behind you. On behalf of your classmates, thank you for adhering to this policy.)
(By the way, numerous studies have shown the value of taking notes during a lecture, and that written notes on paper are often more valuable for learning than taking notes on a computer or other electronic device.)
How do I contact the Professor and/or Teaching Fellow?
Nicole Ayasse and Nikki Amichetti Teaching Fellows: Both Nikki and Nicole have ofice hours listed on the syllabus, during which times they will both be more than happy to see you. They both havea number of other obligations during the day, so please visit only during posted office hours. Thank you. They will also respond promptly to E-mail ( and respectively).
Professor Wingfield: E-mail works for Dr Wingfield, but it is the least effective way to reach him. This is because of the mind-boggling number of e-mails he receives each day. For this reason your e-mail may get buried in his in-box and not replied to in a timely manner.
Dr. Wingfield’s office hours are listed on the syllabus. These are times when he is available for anyone to drop in without an appointment; either to discuss the course or just to chat. You are more than welcomed. You may also come in groups if you wish. If Dr. Wingfield’s office hours are not convenient please see him before or after class and we will find a time that we can meet.
Ms. Ayasse, Ms. Amichetti and Dr. Wingfieldare located in Room 354 on the third floor of the Volen Center.
University Policies on Students with Special Needs, Academic Integrity, and Your Expected Time Commitment
“If you are a student with a documented disability at Brandeis University and if you wish to request a reasonable accommodation for this class, please see Professor Wingfield immediately. Please keep in mind that accommodations are not provided retroactively.”
“All students should familiarize themselves with, and abide by, the Brandeis University policies on academic integrity.”
“Success in this 4 credit hour course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, discussion sections, preparation for exams, etc.).”
……………………………………………………………………………………………
TOPICS & READINGS
Introduction: Understanding the Brain (January 14 and 19)
“Cedat fortuna peritis”
Read Chapter 1
(Read Chapter 4 for a general overview at the cellular level;
skip if you have taken NBio 140.)
UNIT I: FUNCTIONAL NEUROANATOMY
(January 21, 26, 28; Feb 2, 4, 9)
A. Gross Anatomy and Evidence from Brain Injury
“…on parle avec l’hémisphère gauche..” Pierre Paul Broca
(Bulletin de la Société d’Anthropologie; 1861)
1. Cortical Organization and Lateral Asymmetries
Read Chapter 6
Cortical features; Sulci and gryri
Brodmann’s areas
Lateralization of Function
2. What’s on the Inside?
Read Chapter 5
(and also pages 36-38 on CT; and 51 to 54 on MRI in Chapter 2)
The meninges
The structure of the ventricles and their importance for understanding what we see on a brain CT and structural MRI.
3. The Vascular System
Visualizing blood vessels with angiography
(Read pages 38 to 39 in Chapter 2)
The major cerebral arteries and blood flow to the brain
(Re-read pages 131 to 133 in Chapter 5)
Implications for understanding stroke
(Read pages 340 to 347 on types of strokes in Chapter 12)
Implications for understanding functional brain imaging
(Read pages 47 to 60 on SPECT, PET, and fMRI in Chapter 2)
------
In-Class Exam # 1. Thursday, Feb. 11.
------
UNIT II: STROKE, PENETRATING MISSLE INJURY, SURGERY:
A FOCUS ON LANGUAGE
(Feb, 23, 25; March 1, 3, 8. 10, 15, 17)
(No class Feb 16 and 18 – Mid-term Recess)
“When the disturbance of symbolic formulation and expression is acute
in onset or unusually profound, the loss of capacity to employ language
may be extremely gross. Speech may be reduced to ‘yes’ and ‘no’
together with a few emotional expressions.”
Sir Henry Head,
(Aphasia and Kindred Disorders of Speech,
Volume 2., 1926)
1. An overview and review of Stroke
Read the rest of Chapter 12
2. “Closed” Head Injuries: TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
Read pages 370-385 (pages 386-398 optional).
3. Sensory and Motor Systems
Read Chapter 7
(Give special focus to the sensory and motor homunculi [pages 177 to 184], and the motor systems and apraxias [pages 189 to 197]).
4. Vision and Audition
Read Chapter 8
Special topics: Dichoptic viewing; the ‘split-brain’ operation.
Dichotic listening and cerebral lateralization; hearing loss:
measurement, effects of age and noise (music) exposure; speech
recognition.
5. Aphasia: A Breakdown of Language
Special topics: Agrammatic Broca’s aphasia, Wernicke’s aphasia, conduction aphasia, transcortical sensory aphasia, transcortical motor aphasia, speech errors (paraphasias), anomia, the Wernicke- Geschwind diagram, pro and con.
Read (On LATTE)
Additional readings on aphasia will be put on LATTE.
5. Imaging the Healthy Brain
Read all of Chapter 2
Special topics: Logic and pitfalls of the subtraction method; R0I versus SPM approaches; what functional imaging of healthy brains has revealed about neural networks and sentence comprehension not evident from lesion studies.
------
In-Class Exam #2. Tuesday, March 22
------
UNIT III: MEMORY, AGING, DEMENTIA
(March 24, 29, 31; April 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21)
(No class April 26 and28 – Spring Recess)
“When Henry awoke [from surgery], it was soon clear what the
hippocampus and nearby areas were for – they are the chief
organ of human memory formation”
Philip J. Hilts on the death of Henry Molaison [patient
H.M.] at age 82. Boston Globe, December 15, 2008.
- Memory, Attention, Emotion, Executive Functioning
Read Chapter 9. Also read pp 463-473 in Chapter 16
2. Normal Aging, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other Dementias
Read: Chapter 14; Also read Peelle et al. J. Neurosci (On LATTE)
3. Subcortical Dementias
Read Chapter 15