Educational offer - University of Padova

Syllabus

Prerequisites:	The student should ideally possess notions of cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology. English knowledge is also recommended. For students who may lack adequate prior knowledge, the following texts are suggested: - Neuroscience: Exploring the brain. 3d ed. Bear, M.F., Connors, B.W., and Paradiso, M.A. (2007). Philadelphia: Lippincott. - The Neuropsychology Handbook. Horton, A. M., & Wedding, D. (2008). Springer Publishing Company.
Target skills and knowledge:	The course is meant to develop the following knowledges and skills: HEALTHY AGING: 1. Main neural changes associated with normal aging 2. Main cognitive changes associated with normal aging 3. Protective factors for the prevention of cognitive decline 4. Role of genes and environment in cognitive aging PATHOLOGICAL AGING 1. Cognitive and physiopathological profiles of degenerative diseases (Alzheimer, Parkinson, Vascular dementia, Lewy Body dementia, fronto-temporal dementia) 2. Guidelines for the neuropsychological assessment 3. Main neuropsychological batteries/tasks ACQUIRING SKILLS ON: 1. How to develop a clinical interview 2. How to administer neuropsychological tests 3. How to develop a protocol for the prevention of cognitive decline 4. How to design an experiment to study cognitive and/or neural aspects related to aging
Examination methods:	The exam will be written and it will take place in rooms with specially-equipped computers. It will last 1 hour and will be composed of two parts. The first part comprises 30 multiple-choice questions (time limit: 30 minutes). The second part comprises 3 open questions (short responses, time limit: 30 minutes). The students will be given the access to the second part only if they will provide at least 50 % of correct responses to the multiple-choice questions.
Assessment criteria:	The student will have to acquire: a) knowledge about: - cognitive changes associated with healthy aging - neural alterations in healthy aging - main cognitive and psychological problems occurring with advanced age (e.g., anxiety, depression, insomnia) - cognitive and neural alterations associated with pathological aging (e.g., Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease…) - neuropsychological tools - methods and interventions to prevent cognitive decline b) skills on: - how to develop a neuropsychological interview - how to administer neuropsychological batteries - how to develop protocols for the prevention of cognitive decline
Course unit contents:	The course will be subdivided in three main parts: The first part will focus on healthy aging and will deal with: - principal theories and models - changes in specific cognitive functions (e.g., memory, executive functions) and in the neural mechanisms associated with such functions - problems occurring with advanced age (e.g., anxiety, depression, insomnia, changes in personality traits) - cognitive reserve and prevention of cognitive decline - role of physical activity and diet in preventing cognitive decline The second part of the course will deal with different aspects of pathological aging, which are the characterization, assessment and intervention of diseases, such as: - Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) - Dementias (e.g., Alzheimer, Parkinson, fronto-temporal) - Cognitive impairment associated with cerebrovascular pathologies The third part will involve the study and practice of the most commonly used neuropsychological tools and of the guidelines designed for the evaluation, differential diagnosis and the management of the diseases associated with aging.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods:	The course will comprise frontal lessons, and student-centered instruction, participatory learning, and hands-on learning. Practical exercitations will concern: - administration of the neuropsychological tools - presentation and discussion of scientific papers chosen by students - discussion on clinical cases
Additional notes about suggested reading:	Course material will be available in the Moodle course website or at the Psychology Library. Study material for both attendant and nonattendant students: In addition to the books, the lecture slides and selected scientific papers are mandatory study material for both attending and not attending students (available in the Moodle course website). Scientific papers: 1. Hedden T, Gabrieli JDE. Insights into the ageing mind: a view from cognitive neuroscience. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2004;5(2):87-96. doi:10.1038/nrn1323. 2. Park DC, Reuter-Lorenz P. The Adaptive Brain: Aging and Neurocognitive Scaffolding. Annu Rev Psychol. 2009;60(1):173-196. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.59.103006.093656. 3. Corbetta M, Ramsey L, Callejas A, et al. Common behavioral clusters and subcortical anatomy in stroke. Neuron. 2015;85(5):927-941. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2015.02.027.
Textbooks (and optional supplementary readings)	Katzen, Heather L.; Ravdin, Lisa D., Handbook on the neuropsychology of aging and dementia. New York: Springer, 2013. Chapters 1, 2, 5-8, 12, 16-22, 29. Schaie, K. Warner; Willis, Sherry L.; Knight, Bob G.; Levy, Becca; Park, Denise C., Handbook of the psychology of aging. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2011. Chapters: 1, 5, 7-13, 15. Dennis, N. A., & Cabeza, R., Neuroimaging of healthy cognitive aging. --: --, 2008. Book chapter in F. I. M. Craik & T. A. Salthouse (Eds.), Handbook of aging and cognition (pp. 1-54). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.