NEUROPSYCHOLOGY - BPS306

Learn how people are affected by anatomical and physiological characteristics of their nervous system

The nervous system allows humans to adapt to changes. Changes can occur from inside the body (e.g. too little oxygen while running), or from outside (e.g. the anticipation of food or the chill of a winter wind). The nervous system will perceive the change and will take actions to adjust to it through homeostasis. The nervous system is rather like the look-out on a river boat - it monitors conditions and gives warnings when something unusual or dangerous is ahead. Once the warning is received, the body is able to take steps to avoid or correct the situation. The nervous system has to be highly complex to be able to perform such sophisticated services.

The nervous system is made up vast networks of connected nerve cells which transmit messages to keeping the body alive and functioning, and our minds working. To understand how nerve cells interact, we must learn about their individual structure and behaviours. This course provides a different perspective on psychology; with insights into how symptoms of psychological disorders can reveal the physical condition of a person's nervous system. 

It is a fascinating area of study for anyone interested in either psychology or human biology; and a useful course for anyone working in areas related to health or psychology.

Understand how behaviour informs us about brain damage and dysfunction

Neuropsychology is a specialist area of psychology. It is relevant to people who seek a more in-depth understanding of the brain and how damage through congenital conditions, injury, disease or disorders can affect its functioning and our behaviour. It is assumed that people opting to take this course have some basic understanding of the brain's anatomy as well as reasonable knowledge of human biology.  The course doesn't cover how to undertake psychological testing of neuropsychological problems but it does provide students with a solid grounding in brain dysfunctions.  

 

Broaden your knowledge of the brain and behaviour

Study this course to develop your understanding of the way a person's mental state is affected by anatomical and physiological characteristics of that person's neurological system.

  • Learn about the nervous system, and it's relationship with psychology
  • Expand your understanding of biopsychology; and more broadly human behaviour
  • Gain insights into human health and well being, to help you at work, at home, at play.

 

Course Structure and Contents

The course is divided into ten lessons as follows:

  1. Foundations of Neuropsychology
  2. Neurophysiology
  3. Neuroanatomy
  4. Laterality and Callosal Syndromes
  5. Cognition, personality AND EMOTION
  6. Perception Disorders
  7. Motor Disorders
  8. Language
  9. Dementia
  10. Neurodevelopment

 

Duration: 100 hours

 

Aims

  • Describe the relevance of neuropsychology to managing psychological disorders.
  • Explain the physiology of the nervous system.
  • Describe the anatomy of the nervous system.
  • Describe how conditions within the brain affect the way in which a person is physically capable or incapable of performing a variety of different tasks.
  • Explain how various aspects of a person's thought processes may vary according to that person's neurobiology.
  • Describe a variety of perceptual disorders.
  • Explain a variety of motor disorders.
  • To explain the neuropsychology of language.
  • Differentiate between different dementias.
  • Explain aspects of development in neuropsychological terms.

WHAT YOU MAY DO IN THIS COURSE

  • Learn about the development of Neuropsychology and techniques used in human neuropsychological studies;
  • Describe the Neuroanatomy of -
  • Determine why there is laterality;
  • Discuss callosal syndrome;
  • Discuss and compare theories of frontal lobe function;
  • Contrast normal aspects and abnormal aspects of emotion from a neuropsychological perspective;
  • Develop a diagnostic table of perceptual disorders;
  • Determine how the brain perceives faces;
  • Discuss language formation;
  • Describe language disorders;
  • Develop a table of kind of dementia;
  • Learn how recovery of function is affected across age spans.

 

What is the Nervous System?

The nervous system allows humans to adapt to changes. Changes can occur inside (e.g. too little oxygen while running) or outside (e.g. the anticipation of food or the chill of a winter wind). The nervous system will perceive the change and will take actions to adjust to it. The nervous system is rather like the look-out on a river boat - it monitors conditions and gives warnings when something unusual or dangerous is ahead. Once the warning is received, the body is able to take steps to avoid or correct the situation. The nervous system has to be highly complex to be able to perform such sophisticated services.

Until the late 1800's, scientists did not know if the nervous system was made up vast networks of connected nerve cells, or whether the cells were separate. We now know that they are, and that they carry out their enormous task of keeping the body alive and functioning, and our minds working, by means of chains of action. The human brain is estimated to have around 100 billion nerve cells working to help create apparently seamless and integrated action, thought, and body function. To understand how they interact, we must learn about their individual structure and behaviours.

The nervous system contains two kinds of cells: neurons, which receive and transmit messages, and glia, which help maintain neurons and facilitate their functioning.

The cell body or soma is the place in the neuron where major metabolic activity occurs, as it does in all animal cells. The soma of a neuron is enclosed in a plasma membrane that separates the cell from its environment. Water, oxygen and carbon dioxide can move through the membrane, and certain ions (atoms with a positive or negative charge), such as calcium, potassium, and sodium, can pass through the membrane in special channels.

The membrane also encloses a fluid called cytoplasm, within which float all the structures essential to the proper functioning of the cell. These structures, called organelles, have specific functions, and include:

  • a nucleus (lacking in red blood cells), which contains chromatin (active DNA) and a nucleolus (formed from chromatin) that produces ribosomes;
  • ribosomes, where the cell builds the protein it needs;
  • mitochondria, where energy is produced for all the cell's activities;
  • endoplasmic reticulum, a network of tubes that moves proteins to different parts of the cell;
  • lysosomes, which recycle cell material and repair the plasma membrane; and
  • the Golgi complex, a network of sacs that stores hormones for secretion by the cell.

 

What are Endorphins?

Endorphins are neurotransmitters that are similar to the chemical morphine. They have the effect of reducing pain. Endorphin's become more active in the body during extreme exercise (eg. long distance running). Narcotic drugs have an affect similar to endorphins (in effect duplicating the affect of an endorphin, but they are not natural; and may have side effects that endorphin's do not have). It is thought by some that acupuncture works through it' affect upon releasing endorphin's throughout the body. Research has shown that acupuncture does work to reduce pain for a significant proportion of people tested; but not all.

 

How This Course Could Help You

This course may be studied by itself or as part of a certificate or higher level course. The course will be of most value to those with an interest in:

  • Psychology
  • Psychotherapy
  • Biological sciences
  • Health sciences
  • Psychiatric nursing
  • Health professions
  • Teaching
  • Research

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE?

ENROL TODAY!
Just go to the top of this page for pricing and enrolment options. If you have any questions you can contact us now, by:
Phone (UK) 01384 44272, (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752, or

Email us at [email protected]