This course will focus on using neuropsychology and neuroscience to understand psychopathology. It builds on the theoretical background in psychopathology which students have developed during the first year of the RMCDP programme. This course focuses on extending this knowledge by examining psychopathology using a brain and behaviour approach. Brain-behaviour relationships can be studied in diverse populations ranging from children to adults and patient populations to healthy controls. It is becoming increasingly clear that in the future innovative insights can greatly benefit from integrated studies of brain and cognition.
During the first part of the course students will become acquainted with neuropsychological and neuroscientific research methods, and the ways in which these methods can be combined with those used in clinical, developmental and cognitive research to further understanding of mental disorders. These methods will subsequently be discussed relation to three dominant areas of neuroscience research within the field of psychopathology. The first, developmental neuroscience, examines normal and abnormal developmental trajectories. Childhood and adolescence are pivotal periods in shaping future mental health, and the origins of many disorders can be found during this period. Therefore, a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of neural development is essential to facilitate positive outcomes. The second area is affective neuroscience, a field of research which aims to elucidate the neural mechanisms of emotion processing, an ability which is often disturbed in those with mental health disorders. The third area, neuroeconomics, is a relatively new approach which combines paradigms from behavioural economics with neuroscience techniques. This relatively new field has already provided insights into the etiology of a diverse range of disorders, ranging from psychosis to bipolar disorder.
During the second part of the course students will learn how to use these approaches to write a research proposal incorporating neuropsychological and/or neuroscientific methods. As well as writing the proposal, students will be encouraged to practice critically reflecting on their own work, and identifying strengths and weaknesses.
Students will receive feedback on their proposal from lecturers and fellow students and be expected to use this to improve their work.