Cognitive Neuropsychiatry

Course goals

After completing the course, students can:

1. Describe, compare, apply and analyse knowledge about the neuropsychological aspects of the symptoms, underlying mechanisms and treatment of psychopathological disorders.
2. Analyse a real-world, practice-based question to identify its underlying scientific components and formulate a clear researchable question.
3. Search, evaluate, and synthesise scientific literature to construct a well-supported answer to the research question.
4. Create an accessible, engaging, and scientifically accurate communication product tailored to a specific non-academic audience.
5. Collaborate effectively with external partners and peers by applying CEL principles and co-creation methods.
6. Reflect on their learning process, decision-making, collaboration, ethical considerations, and professional development to evaluate their growth.

Relation between assessment and objective
The examination in this course uses open questions to test students’ knowledge of cognitive-neuropsychological aspects of the psychiatric disorders covered in the course. Students will be tested on their knowledge of research methods as well as their insight into which cognitive-neuropsychological aspects play a central role within a specific psychiatric disorder, and how these could contribute to the development, course, continuation and/or treatment of the disorder.
The assignment for this course requires students to translate their knowledge of a (neuro)psychiatric/-psychological disorder to a product relevant to, and understandable for, a general audience.

Content

The first goal of this course is to give more insight into the underlying cognitive processes that play a role in the development and maintenance of psychiatric disorders. The ‘Cognitive Neuropsychiatry’ course aims to give more insight into the professional field of the neuropsychologist within the field of psychiatry. Each lecture covers a psychiatric disorder that the neuropsychologist may encounter, both in a clinical and an academic setting. Topics covered for each disorder may include: symptomatology, cognitive problems, emotional problems, academic research (fundamental and/or clinical), plus endocrinology, treatment, therapy etc. In practice, a neuropsychologist will usually work in a multidisciplinary team and thus have a wide professional field. Incorporating information about the neural substrate of psychiatric disorders in normal cognitive functioning links this approach to fundamental neuroscience. Topics covered may include PTSD, psychopathy, eating disorders, schizophrenia/hallucinations, dissociative identity disorder, borderline personality disorder (topics subject to change).

This course also includes a Community Engaged Learning (CEL) component, because we do not only want to teach you something about neuropsychiatric disorders, we also want you to practice with using your knowledge about neuropsychiatry in real-world situations. In CEL, you collaborate directly with external partners such as mental health professionals and people with lived experience with psychiatric conditions. This enables you to experience first-hand how you can contribute to translating scientific knowledge into meaningful practice, by for example creating an explainer video, infographic, etc. The aim of the CEL component is to have students practice with how they can reduce the gap between academic knowledge and clinical practice. 

The first weeks of the course will consist of lectures (most likely 2 lectures each week), followed by an exam. Then several nine-to-five workgroup sessions will take place. There you will team up with a societal partner who is linked to one of the lectures. They have a (real) problem/issue/question that they need your help with. In a group you will translate the partner's question to a research question. You will do literature research and formulate a scientific answer to the question. Next, you will translate this answer into a product that fits with the needs and level of knowledge of your societal partner. All groups will present their final product to their partner and to each other during the final symposium.  

The entire course will be taught in English. This also includes assignments and exams.

This course will give credits for obtaining your Dutch clinical registration(s) LOGO/BAPD. See link below for more information
 

Deze cursus kan bijdragen aan je LOGO verklaring. Klik HIER voor meer informatie.