Psych206: Cortical Plasticity

Winter 2018

M 1:30-4:30pm, 420-419 

* office hours by email appointment

Course Description and Course Structure 

This is a seminar in which we will read and critically discuss recent finding regarding cortical plasticity. Topics center on plasticity related to the formation and development of categorical representations across the brain. We will address both functional and anatomical induced changes due to experience, training, and lifespan development and aging.

Each class session will consist of a discussion of two empirical papers. One class participant will take primary responsibility for leading the discussion of each. All participants will be expected to lead the presentation of 1-2 papers.  More advanced students will be tapped first to make second paper presentations, as needed.

Course Components

All participants are expected to read each week’s papers in preparation for class, to submit a bulleted synopsis and reaction to each paper (see below), and to participate in class discussion. Participants enrolled for 3 units are also required to submit a final paper (see below).

Presentations: Each participant will be asked to lead presentation of 1-2 papers.

Article Reactions/Synopses: Participants are expected to read each article and to come prepared to contribute to the group discussion. To facilitate this goal, each participant is asked to submit (by Sunday at noon before each class) a bulleted synopsis of the main findings of each paper, as well as questions that arise from the readings. Please submit your synopses on Canvas.

Research Paper: Participants registered for 3 units will be expected to submit a research proposal (in the format of an NRSA grant) at the end of the term. The goal of this research paper is to propose a novel experiment that addresses an open question about the nature of one of the topics covered in the course. Papers are due by 5pm on Wednesday, March 15^th, 2018.

Grading

Students enrolled for 1-2 units: Grades will be based on presentations (40%), submission of article reactions (20%), and contributions to class discussion (40%).

Students enrolled for 3 units: For students enrolled for 3 units, the grading will be based on presentations (30%), submission of article reactions (10%), contributions to class discussion (30%) and the research paper (30%). 

Modules

1/16: White matter plasticity: learning and lifespan

1/22: Gray matter plasticity: developmental mechanisms

1/29: How does becoming an expert affect brain representations?

2/5: Categorical representations in the prefrontal cortex and ventral temporal cortex

2/12: Cortical representations following new category learning

2/26: Relational categorical representations

3/5: Age-related changes in connectivity

3/12: Age-related dedifferentiation