The University of Texas at Austin
Human Brain Imaging in Psychology
PSY 341K
Fall 09
Lectures: SEA 4.242
TTH 2:00-3:30
Labs: Neuroimaging Analysis Center – SEA 2.210, Learning and Memory lab – SEA 3.312, Imaging Research Center, Pickle Research Campus West.
Times to be arranged
Instructor:
David Schnyer
Associate Professor of Psychology
Office: SEA 5.246, Tuesday 10-noon
Email: schnyer@psy.utexas.edu
Phone: 512- 475-8499
TA:
Jenni Pacheco, M.A.
Email: jpacheco@mail.utexas.edu
Office: SEA 2.210B, Wed. 1-3pm
Phone: 512-471-2727
Overview:
Brain imaging has become pervasive in psychology and cognitive neuroscience research. What are the various techniques, how do they work and what do they tell us about mental processes? The course will provide a basic overview of brain imaging techniques and the mental processes that can be inferred from these methodologies, with a specific focus on 2 popular “functional” imaging techniques – magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the human electroencephalogram (EEG). The course will begin by covering the philosophical and theoretical foundations of brain/behavior relations, followed by a short introduction to human neurophysiology in order establish an understanding of the sources of brain imaging signals. Then each of the brain imaging techniques will be introduced in depth with hands-on laboratory sessions focusing on EEG and structural and functional MRI. The final part of the course will have students branch out into a specific area of interest (i.e. - language, attention, vision, memory, social psychology) in order to examine in depth how brain imaging has been used in that area. The course will require several short papers covering specific course topics, a short review paper covering the student’s topic of interest, an oral presentation, and a final research proposal designed to answer an important empirical question using brain imaging technique(s).
Course Goals:
The course is designed to fulfill two major goals. The first is to provide students with an introduction to the philosophical, historical, physiological, and technical issues surrounding human brain imaging. Students will be exposed to the main imaging methodologies currently being used in psychological and cognitive neuroscience research, and will be introduced to their application across a broad spectrum of research areas including: attention and visual processing, language, learning and memory, emotion and social cognition, clinical disorders, executive functions, and decision making. Three lab sessions will give students direct experience with conducting and analyzing an experiment using EEG and functional MRI. By the end of the course students should be able to read and understand research that uses a brain imaging technique with a sufficient foundation of knowledge to understand what was done and evaluate its’ scientific merit. Finally, students will begin to explore applying imaging techniques to their own research interests by thinking about and designing a functional imaging experiment.
Within the context of the first goal, the second goal of the course is to introduce students to the format and content of research writing and presentation in psychological science. Students will design and propose a study using one or more of the functional imaging methods introduced in the course with enough detail for a reviewer to evaluate their proposal.
Texts/Readings:
Required course reading packet – available at Jenn’s Copy and Binding.
Optional text - Handbook of Functional Neuroimaging of Cognition, 2nd edition. Edited by Roberto Cabeza and Alan Kingstone.
Assignments:
Three short content papers (2-3 pages, double spaced) – 20%
Topic background paper (3-5 pages, double spaced) and oral presentation - 30%
Final research proposal (10-15 pages, double spaced) – 40%
Class and lab participation – 10%
The short content papers will follow each section of the course – philosophical foundations, neurophysiology, EEG, and MRI. One or more questions will be given that will form the basis of these papers.
A background paper, the presentation, and the final research proposal will be focused on a specific topic of interest chosen by the student. The topic proposal is due Oct. 12th and the schedule for student presentations will be chosen by random lottery and announced on Oct. 16th. An overview and literature review of that topic will serve as the background paper, which will also serve as the basis for a 15-minute class presentation. The presentation should end with several open questions that have emerged from the student’s inquiry and will form the basis of the final research proposal. A draft of the background paper is due Nov. 6th and the final version, after responding to feedback from the draft, is due Nov. 24th.
For the final paper, students will construct a research proposal that consists of the previous background section corrected and combined with a - specific aims, methods and results sections, and a conclusion. The background establishes the background of research on the topic of interest and should contain a reworked version of the paper and presentation. This background should build to a specific unanswered question and propose a clear testable hypothesis. The methods section describes in detail the methodology to be used, how the experiment is to be carried out and what are the expected results. A conclusion will address the implications of the possible findings as well as future directions.
Grading:
Writing is the major portion of evaluation for this course. While grading written work seems like a subjective process, there is a lot that can be done to explain the basis of a grade. First, what you write must be YOUR own work. I cannot emphasize this enough. If you are unfamiliar with how you should reference ideas then check with the instructor or the Undergraduate Writing Center. The center can also provide other assistance with writing - http://uwc.utexas.edu/.
Your goal when writing is to convince, not to fill. In this regard, just writing a lot does not gain you a better grade. One must make a convincing argument, and this requires building the background and clearly articulating the conclusions that can be drawn from that information. If you make a convincing case and it is done with correct writing style (i.e. intro paragraph, intro and concluding sentences for each paragraph, and final summary paragraph) then you have earned an 85. From here you can gain points for, among other things: clear concise writing, innovative thinking, anticipation and countering of opposing view points, and/or a clear grasp of the imaging methodologies we have covered. You can lose points for, among other things: sloppy spelling and grammar (no excuse for this with spell and grammar checking built into word processing software) or not understanding the imaging methodology you are discussing. We will not read pages over the size range indicated above, so don’t even try to write more. You will be asked to write in “pseudo” APA style, so you should make some attempt to structure the paper in this style, particularly with respect to references. A good overview of this style can be found at - http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm#Abbrev. The link is on the blackboard site.
Writing Center: I strongly encourage you to use the Undergraduate Writing Center, FAC 211, 471-6222: http://uwc.utexas.edu). The Undergraduate Writing Center offers free, individualized, expert help with writing for any UT undergraduate, by appointment or on a drop-in basis. Any undergraduate enrolled in a course at UT can visit the UWC for assistance with any writing project. They work with students from every department on campus, for both academic and non-academic writing. Whether you are writing a lab report, a resume, a term paper, a statement for an application, or your own poetry, UWC consultants will be happy to work with you. Their services are not just for writing with "problems." Getting feedback from an informed audience is a normal part of a successful writing project. Consultants help students develop strategies to improve their writing. The assistance they provide is intended to foster independence. Each student determines how to use the consultant's advice. The consultants are trained to help you work on your writing in ways that preserve the integrity of your work.
Participation in class, doing the readings and attendance in both class and lab will make up 10% of the grade. This is a given if you just show up and stay engaged. Labs are mandatory. Reading ahead of time will help you to make informed comments during the class sessions.
Prerequisites:
(a) PSY 301 with a C or better
(b) PSY 418 (or an equivalent listed in the course schedule) with a C or better
(c) Upper-Division standing (60 hours completed)
(d) Deep curiosity about the brain and its relationship to mental functions!
Course timeline and reading schedule - (subject to change with notification)
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Date
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Content
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Reading
(CP = course packet)
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August 27
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Introduction and scope. Syllabus review.
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Week 1
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Sept 1
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The Mind Body Problem
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1) CP - Mind and Brain – from Cognition Brain and Consciousness, B.J Baars
2) CP - The Mind-Body Problem – from The Psychology of Consciousness, G.W. Farthing
3) CP - Optional - Minds and Bodies: Rene Descartes and the possibility of a science of the mind – from the Science of Mind, O. Flanagan
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Sept 3
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History of Neuroimaging
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1) CP – Cabeza, Chapter 1- Functional Neuroimaging: A historical and physiological perspective
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Week 2
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Sept 8 and 10
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Specification and Localization of mental functions.
Functional neural anatomy of the Human brain.
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1) CP - Psychophysiological Science – Interdisciplinary approaches to classic questions about the mind - from Handbook of Psychophysiology, J.T. Cacioppo, L.G. Tassinary, Berntson, Eds.
2) CP - Organization of the nervous system – from Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology, B. Kolb and I.Q. Whishaw Eds
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Sept 15
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1st content paper due – Philosophical Foundations
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Week 3
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Sept 15 and 17
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Neural Tracks
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1) CP - Cellular organization of the nervous system – from Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology, B. Kolb and I.Q. Whishaw Eds
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Week 4
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Sept 22 and 24
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Brain Electrical Activity – EEG and MEG
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1) CP - Chapter 3 – Electroencephalography and High-density electrophysiological source localization – from Handbook of Psychophysiology, J.T. Cacioppo, L.G. Tassinary, Berntson, Eds.
2) CP - Chapter 4 – Event-related Brain Potentials: Methods, theory, and applications – from Handbook of Psychophysiology, J.T. Cacioppo, L.G. Tassinary, Berntson, Eds.
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Week 5
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Sept 29 - Oct. 1
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EEG Lab (SEAY 3.312)
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Oct. 6th
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2st content paper due – Human Electrophsyiology
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Week 6
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Oct. 6
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Brain Metabolism – PET & fMRI
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1) CP – Cabeza,Chapter 2 – Functional neuroimaging: Basic principles of functional MRI
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Oct. 8
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Brain Metabolism – PET and fMRI (cont)
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Optional) CP - Chapter 2 – Elements of functional neuroimaging - from Handbook of Psychophysiology, J.T. Cacioppo, L.G. Tassinary, Berntson, Eds.
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Oct. 12
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Presentation proposal due, with suggested reading to be posted online – presentation schedule to be announced by Fri Oct. 16th
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Week 7
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Oct. 13
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Experimental design in functional imaging
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1) CP – Cabeza, Chapter 3 – Functional neuroimaging: Experimental design and analysis
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Oct. 15
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Experimental design in functional imaging (cont)
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Oct. 22
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3rd content paper due – fMRI
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Week 9
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Oct. 20
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Lab 3 – Structural MRI, Navigating the brain (SEAY 2.210)
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Oct. 22
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Lesion studies and structural imaging
Example Presentation
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1) The lesion method in cognitive neuroscience - from Handbook of Psychophysiology, J.T. Cacioppo, L.G. Tassinary, Berntson, Eds.
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Week 10
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Nov. 3-5
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Lab 2 – Functional Neuroimaging – Imaging Research Center
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Nov. 6
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Draft of Background paper due
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Week 11
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Nov. 10 and 12
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Student Presentations
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Optional) TB - Chapter 4 – Functional neuroimaging of attention
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Week 12
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Nov. 17
And 19
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Student Presentations
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Optional) TB - Chapter 13 – Functional neuroimaging of emotion and social cognition
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Week 13
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Nov. 25
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Student Presentations/Ethics in Neuroimaging Research
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1) CP - fMRI in the public eye
Eric Racine, Ofek Bar-Ilan and Judy Illes from Nature Neuroscience, 2005
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Nov 24
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Final version of Background paper due
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Week 14
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Dec. 1 and 3
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Student Presentations
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Optional) TB - Chapter 10 – Functional neuroimaging of executive functions
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5pm Dec 11
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Final paper due
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Optional readings are in the reading packet.
The Standard of Academic Integrity
A fundamental principle for any educational institution, academic integrity is highly valued and seriously regarded at The University of Texas at Austin, as emphasized in the standards of conduct. More specifically, you and other students are expected to "maintain absolute integrity and a high standard of individual honor in scholastic work" undertaken at the University (Sec. 11-801, Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities). This is a very basic expectation that is further reinforced by the University's Honor Code. At a minimum, you should complete any assignments, exams, and other scholastic endeavors with the utmost honesty, which requires you to:
- acknowledge the contributions of other sources to your scholastic efforts;
- complete your assignments independently unless expressly authorized to seek or obtain assistance in preparing them;
- follow instructions for assignments and exams, and observe the standards of your academic discipline; and
- avoid engaging in any form of academic dishonesty on behalf of yourself or another student.
For the official policies on academic integrity and scholastic dishonesty, please refer to Chapter 11 of the Institutional Rules on Student Services and Activities.
The University of Texas Honor Code
The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the University is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community.
University Electronic Mail Notification Policy
All students should become familiar with the University's official e-mail student notification policy. It is the student's responsibility to keep the University informed as to changes in his or her e-mail address. Students are expected to check e-mail on a frequent and regular basis in order to stay current with University-related communications, recognizing that certain communications may be time-critical. It is recommended that e-mail be checked daily, but at a minimum, twice per week.
Use of Blackboard in Class
This course uses Blackboard, a Web-based course management system in which a password-protected site is created for each course. (Student enrollments in each course arc updated each evening.) Blackboard can be used to distribute course materials, to communicate and collaborate online, to post grades, to submit assignments, and to take online quizzes and surveys.
You will be responsible for checking the Blackboard course site regularly for class work and announcements. As with all computer systems, there are occasional scheduled downtimes as well as unanticipated disruptions. Notification of these disruptions will be posted on the Blackboard login page. Scheduled downtimes are not an excuse for late work. However, if there is an unscheduled downtime for a significant period of time, I will make an adjustment if it occurs close to the due date.
Blackboard is available at http://courses.utexas.edu. Support is provided by the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400 Monday through Friday 8 am to 6 pm, so plan accordingly.
Disability Statement
Students who require special accommodations need to get a letter that documents the disability from the Services for Students with Disabilities area of the Office of the Dean of Students (471-6259- voice or 47 I -4641 - TTY for users who are deaf or hard of hearing). This letter should be presented to the instructor in each course at the beginning of" the semester and accommodations needed should be discussed at that time. Five business days before an exam the student should remind the instructor of any testing accommodations that will be needed.
See Web site below for more information:
http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/ssd/providing.php
Religious Holidays
Religious holy days sometimes conflict with class and examination schedules. If you miss an examination, work assignment, or other project due to the observance of a religious holy day you will be given an opportunity to complete the work missed within a reasonable time after the absence. It is the policy of The University of Texas at Austin that you must notify each of your instructors at least fourteen days prior to the classes scheduled on dates you will be absent to observe a religious holy day.
Feedback
Feedback is an important part of any learning. Without feedback on how well you understand the material or your proficiency in a skill, it is more difficult to make significant progress. During this course I will be asking you to give me feedback on your learning in informal as well as formal ways such as assignments or exams. Please let me know when something we discuss is not clear. It will enable me to provide additional information when needed or to explain a concept in different terms.
