NEUS2100 Systems and Cognitive Neuroscience (5 cr)

Course modules cover the following topics: Systems and cognitive neuroscience; Principles of neuronal function and neuroanatomy; Brain imaging methods; Sensory systems (vision, hearing, tactile and proprioceptive senses, chemical senses), Attention and its disorders, Emotions in the brain; Storing and processing information in memory; Executive actions and control of behavior and their deficits; Neural systems of reward, decision making and motor control; Sleep; Neuronal processes underlying social interaction and its developmental disorders; Brain, language and music.

The course provides a comprehensive introduction to the interdisciplinary field of systems and cognitive neuroscience and a good basis for further studies in the field. Students learn the rationale of research as well as experimental methods and approaches, concepts and theoretical frameworks that are common in the field. After successful completion of the course, students have gained knowledge and understanding of neural basis of sensory and motor systems, emotions, control of behavior, language, storing and processing information in memory, social information processing, neurophysiology of sleep, and the basics of cellular functions and neuroanatomy.

Successful studying of the course requires good basic knowledge in at least one of the following fields: neurobiology/neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, neuroscience related biomedical engineering.

All materials are on-line, and consist of various forms of self-study-materials, including text, illustrations, videos, rehearsals, quizzes, etc.