The course provides advanced knowledge on the nature of the
relationship between mind and brain and aims to provide advanced
knowledge on the functional maturation of the nervous system that
allows the development of the main cognitive functions, and on the role
of the environment and the experience, in the framework of cognitive
neuroscience. The student must demonstrate that he has acquired:
1) The understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that regulate the
maturation of the nervous system and the development of the main
cognitive functions, with particular attention to the complex interaction
between genetic and environmental factors
2) The understanding of the consequences of serious alterations of the
typical development trajectory and the ability to compare and
differentiate the main neurological / neuropsychological syndromes
affecting in the developmental age
3) The ability to refer to the experimental evidence, and to the relative
research hypotheses and methodologies, which support or contrast with
the main general theoretical formulations on the relationship between
neural and psychological development
4) the ability to organize and communicate the acquired knowledge in a
clear, effective, coherent narrative, using an appropriate scientific
language
5) The ability to express one's own point of view and to deepen
autonomously the topics, the experimental studies and the
methodologies of interest
The guided practical experience (EPG) aims to provide practical
knowledge in the use of tecniques for the study of anatomy and function
of the nervous system and of diagnostic tests for the assessment of
cognitive functions during development. Attending students will perform
a practical exercise of administration and correction of cognitive
development scales and will visit university laboratories that use
neuroimaging techniques in the field of developmental neuroscience,
including fMRI, NIRS and EEG. Students will make use of this knowledge
to analyze and discuss scientific articles dealing with the combination of
behavioral and neuroimaging techniques. Non-attending students will be
offered readings that examine the same aspects individually and in combination with each other
