https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AB_1111The overall aim of the course is twofold. Firstly, to provide a theoretical understanding and hands-on practical experience with Cognitive Neuroscience research in humans and, secondly, to develop generic and important academic skills. In terms of Cognitive Neuroscience, you should at the end of the course be able to:Explain how human neurophysiology can be investigated and explain the relative strengths and weaknesses of different measurement techniques.Argue why it is important to perform neurophysiological research on both healthy people and patients.Differentiate between exogenous (stimulus-driven) and endogenous (spontaneous) brain activity, and experimental paradigms and analysis tools required for their study.Argue why the phenomenon of ‘daydreaming’ and its neuronal basis is important to investigate. In addition, you should have acquired the skills to perform research on this relationship.Explain the relationship between brain activity and EEG signals.Explain how to prepare a subject for an EEG measurement and understand acquisition settings such as sampling frequency, filters, impedance, etc.Learn to differentiate between EEG signals that originate from muscle and brain activity, respectively.Perform quantitative and statistical analysis of own EEG and cognition data using the Python-based Neurophysiological Biomarker Toolbox (NBT), and present and interpret the results.Provide an overview of the possibilities and challenges of applying EEG technology (1) in the diagnosis and therapy of disorders such as epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, or dementia, and (2) for controlling machines or computers with your thoughts.The course aims to provide you with theoretical knowledge of how the human brain and cognition can be studied with current techniques. In addition, an important component of the course is to teach you how to perform recordings on normal human subjects using high-density electroencephalography (EEG) and relate the electrical signal of the brain to cognition. The emphasis is on non-sensory cognitive experiences such as "daydreaming". You will record, analyze and present both data on EEG and cognition at the end of the course. The importance of non-stimulus driven brain activity and cognition for brain-related disorders such as depression, dementia, insomnia, autism, and attention deficit and hyperarousal disorder (ADHD) is discussed.Lectures, lab and computer practical, plenary discussions, and presentations. Attendance is obligatory for all scheduled activities, except the lectures (although strongly recommended to attend these) Activity (approximate number of study hours) Lectures (16) Reading (35) Lab experiments (4) Data analysis from own laptop (30) Group discussions (16) Plenary discussions (8) Poster preparation (24) Preparation for exam (35)Tentamen:Vragen: combinatie open en geslotenAfname: schriftelijkWeging toetsonderdelen:Written exam: 50%Content and layout of poster: 20% (group grade)Individual presentation of poster: 30%Compensatie:Er is geen compensatiemogelijkheid tussen de verschillende toetsonderdelenHerkansing opdrachten:Bij hertentamen momentLeerlijn Academische Vaardigheden (ACVA):Academische houding (kritisch denken, oordeelsvorming en reflectie op handelen): interpretatie van analyse van eigen data, posteropdracht, en feedback geven op research proposal en posters van medestudenten (formatief)Informatievaardigheden: dataverzameling in EEG practica en interpreteren van significante effecten (formatief); wetenschappelijke literatuur zoeken en lezen (formatief)Schrijfvaardigheden: research proposal en poster maken (summatief)Presentatievaardigheden: PowerPoint presentatie van onderzoeksplan en presentatie van poster (summatief)Samenwerken: samenwerken met 3-4 medestudenten aan onderzoeksidee, onderzoeksplan en poster van onderzoek (formatief); constructieve feedback geven op de ideeën van medestudenten (formatief)Klinisch redeneren: eventuele resultaten in gezonde personen bespreken in de context van ziektebeelden (formatief)Leerlijn Onderzoeksmethoden en Statistiek:Onderzoeksmethoden theorie: het leren beantwoorden van een onderzoeksvraag met experimentele gegevens (in voorbereiding op het practicum project) (formatief); mathematische vaardigheden: begrip van signaalverwerking, bijvoorbeeld de Fourier Transformatie (summatief).Onderzoeksmethoden praktijk: zelf een onderzoeksvraag bedenken voor de schrijfopdracht (research proposal) en uitvoeren van analyse voor poster project (summatief)Statistiek theorie: colleges (formatief)Statistiek praktijk: dataverzameling, analyse in computer practicum en posteropdracht (summatief); bioinformatica vaardigheden: statistische analyse van datasets met duizenden variabelen (summatief); interpretatie van analyse resultaten (summatief)Leerlijn International Communication in Science:Engels lezen: Engels studiemateriaal (formatief)Engels schrijven: onderzoeksplan en poster is in het Engels (summatief)Engels spreken: presentaties van onderzoeksplan en poster is in het Engels (summatief)PowerPoints with supporting text below the slides and a reader authored by the coordinator. In addition, the following background or scientific articles are used:Raichle M. 2010. The brain's dark energy. Scientific American Magazine 302(3):44–49.Killingsworth, M. A., Gilbert, D. T. 2010. A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind. Science, 330:932.Diaz et al., (2014) The ARSQ 2.0 reveals age and personality effects on mind-wandering experiences. Front Psychol 5:1–8BSc Gezondheid en Leven jaar 2 en 3 Major Biomedische wetenschappen (BMW) en major Klinische wetenschappen (KW) Keuzecursus Second/third year Biomedical Sciences or Biologie.This course is recommended for students wishing to do their internship at CNCR. This course is recommended for students wishing to follow the Research Master of Neurosciences. Maximum number of participants: 160noneCanvas is used extensively for tutorials, lecture PowerPoints, and for posting videos of the lectures