Instructor: Peter G. Como, Ph.D., T & Th, 4:50 - 6:05 pm

Teaching Assistant: Susan Maher, Ph.D.

BCS Office: 176 Meliora Hall; Classroom: 204 Meliora Hall

Meliora Office Hours: Tuesdays, 4:00-4:50 pm (Como), Thursdays, 4:00-4:50 (Maher) and by appointment.

Neurology Office: 5-5221 Medical Center

Phone: 5-5130 (Como), 5-5130 (Maher)

E-mail: como@etin.mct.rochester.edu

maher@etin.mct.rochester.edu

Required Text:

Neuropsychological Assessment of Neuropsychiatric Disorders, 2^nd Edition. Grant I & Adams KM (eds.): Oxford University Press, 1996

Additional Required Readings - on reserve in Carlson Library: a) articles, b) textbook: Behavioral Neurology and Neuropsychology, T.E. Feinberg & M.J. Farah. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997.

Section I: The Neuropsychological Examination
 

Date		Topic	Reading Assignments
Sept	2	Introduction & Overview
	7	Principles of Neuropsychological Assessment I	Ch 1, pp 3-15, 21-24
	9	Principles of Neuropsychological Assessment II	Ch 3, pp 58-62
	14	The Neuropsychological Examination	Ch 4, pp 81-84, Ch 7, Reserve # 234, 484
	16	Attention and Concentration	None - Lecture only
	21	Short-Term Memory/New learning-Verbal Abilities	Ch 11
	23	Short-Term Memory/New learning-Non-Verbal Abilities	Ch 11
	28	EXAM I
	30	Visuospatial Function	TBA
Oct	5	Speech/Language Function	Ch. 9 *Reserve Text*
	7	Executive Function	Ch 30-31 *Reserve Text* Article # TBA

Section II: Neuropsychological Assessment of Neuropsychiatric Syndromes
 

Date		Topic	Reading Assignments
Oct	12	Alzheimerâs Disease and Cortical Dementias	Ch 8
	14	HIV-Related Dementia	Ch 17
	19	Parkinsonâs Disease and Huntingtonâs Disease	Ch 13-14
	21	EXAM II
	26	Multiple Sclerosis	Reserve #158, 173
	28	The Patients Speak
Nov	2	Neuropsychology of Schizophrenia	Ch 20
	4	Neuropsychology of Depression	Ch 9
	9	Epilepsy	Ch 12
	11	The Intracarotid Amobarbital Test	TBA
	16	EXAM III
	18	Closed/Traumatic Brain Injury	Ch 21
	23	Pediatric Neuropsychological Assessment	Reserve # 486
	25	THANKSGIVING
	30	Touretteâs Syndrome and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder	Ch 10
Dec	2	Forensic Neuropsychology - I	Reserve # TBA
	7	Forensic Neuropsychology - II	Reserve # TBA
	9	The Patients Speak - Video Presentations
	15-21	FINAL EXAM WEEK

General Overview:

This course will introduce the student to the field of clinical neuropsychology which bridges the domains of neurology, neuroscience and clinical psychology. It begins with a general overview and history of clinical neuropsychology. Then, principles of neuropsychological assessment and the assessment and interpretation of specifice cognitive domains and the neuropsychological tests used to assess these domains will be discussed. The remainder of the course will be Asyndrome@ oriented and will focus on specific neurological syndromes including: neurodegenerative disorders, epilepsy, head trauma, infectious processes, pediatric neuropsychology, psychiatric syndromes, and forensic neuropsychology. In addition to conventional course instruction (e.g., lectures, readings), patient presentations (videotape and in-person interviews) will be used.

Some of the information covered in the textbook will not be directly discussed in the classroom. Therefore, it is your responsibility to read all of the assigned chapters and readings. You will be examined on this material.

Grading: Grades will be determined from four examinations. Due to the size of the class, there will be no term paper or Aextra credit@ paper. Individual and performance is based upon class performance statistics.

All examinations will consist of multiple choice and include short essay questions. The material on the exams will be determined from we cover in class AND reading assignments. The examinations are not cumulative, but you are expected to understand the basic concepts from previous lectures.