Overview

Students will be introduced to the principles of taking a neurological history and performing a neurological examination, via the demonstration of illustrative neurological and neurobehavioural patients in case conferences. Patients with neurological and neuropsychological disorders such as those involving memory, language, visuospatial abilities, object recognition, control of movement, executive control and emotional regulation will be presented. Students will be introduced to working with such patients, and to the ethical issues surrounding working with neurological patients. Through lectures, and case conferences, students will learn functional human neuroanatomy relevant to common neurological and neuropsychological disorders, and structural neuroimaging as a tool in clinical practice and neurobehavioral research. The pathophysiology of major neurological disorders causing neuropsychological disability will be discussed.

Students will be introduced to the principles of taking a neurological history and performing a neurological examination, via the demonstration of illustrative neurological and neurobehavioural patients in case conferences. Patients with neurological and neuropsychological disorders such as those involving memory, language, visuospatial abilities, object recognition, control of movement, executive control and emotional regulation will be presented. Students will be introduced to working with such paitents, and to the ethical issues surrounding working with neurological patients. Through lectures, case conferences, and an MRI practical class, students will learn functional human neuroanatomy relevant to common neurological and neuropsychological disorders, and structural neuroimaging as a tool in clinical practice and neurobehavioral research. The pathophysiology of major neurological disorders causing neuropsychological disability will be discussed.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -(C) Adequate answer to the question, largely based on lecture material. No real development of arguments.

-good -(B) Reasonably comprehensive coverage. Well organised and structured. Good understanding of the material.

-excellent (A) Comprehensive and accurate coverage of the area clarity of argument and expression. Depth of insight into theoretical issues

Learning Outcomes

• Apply the principles guiding the selection of patients for neurological and neuropsychological research.

• Apply the principles guiding the use of information from the neurological examination to determine lesion localization

• Compare and appraise the diagnostic features of neurological and neuropsychological syndromes such as: aphasia, hemispatial neglect, Balint’s syndrome, agnosia, apraxia, and amnesia.

• Demonstrate competence in the basics of interpretation of CT and MRI brain scans.