From mental activities to behaviour: the brain in all its states

Objectives

1. Introduce à a biological description of mental activities: "How the body shapes the mind" (S. Gallagher)
2. Printing brain structures from comparative anatomy (phylogeny) and ontogeny to explain their functional significance and adaptive value
3. Show how mental functions such as memory, emotion, motivation and decision-making are shaped by the principles that guide brain function
4. To provide an overview of the general effects of psychotropic substances (drugs or substances of abuse)
5. Enable translations (translational neuroscience) between physiological concepts describing physical pain, for example, and psychological concepts that account for symbolic pain (social exclusion, bereavement)

Content

The course will be divided into two parts. In the first part, the bases, principles and concepts of the biological approach to mental functions and behaviour will be presented. In the second part, the major issues in psychophysiology and psychiatry will be presented and discussed: memory, motivation, representations and self-image, schizophrenia, pressure, dependencies.

Purpose

The seminar will enable students to explore in greater depth the topics covered in the winter course by reading review articles. The aim is to practise potentially contradictory debates and key concepts: homoeacute;ostasia-allostasia; continuity of approach to animal and human behaviour. It will be enriched by practical sessions during which students will be able to understand why and how brain functions can be examined without recourse to language in order to approach humans and animals in an analogous manner. In this way, students will be able to be both guinea pigs and experimenters.

Content

During the seminar, students will have the opportunity to explore in greater depth several themes related to behavioural and psychiatric neuroscience through the reading and presentation of scientific articles on research carried out in this field;The presentation of scientific articles on subjects such as autism, depression and schizophrenia, as well as on functions such as memory, attention, empathy and decision-making, and their correlates. Students will also be given the opportunity to develop an experimental protocol and carry out a small piece of research related to the topics covered in the seminar presentations.

This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop their knowledge and skills in a variety of areas.

Personal work

This personal work will take various forms, including an introduction to the experimental approach wherever possible.

Course: continuous control

Coursework and personal work: written and oral presentations

Information

The course and the seminar are independent of each other.

The course can be taken without the seminar and the seminar without having taken the course.

Restrictions

The credits corresponding to this course cannot be validated for students of the Bachelor's degree in Biology.

The course is not open to students in the Bachelor of Psychology or to students who have enrolled in the SSP course 'Behavioural Neurosciences' in their curriculum (e.g. students in the Bachelor of Biology).e.g. students from SSP, FTSR or Lettres with a minor in psychology).

Students who have taken Behavioural Neurosciences are at all times authorised à to take the seminar attached to the course "From Brain to Behaviour".