University of Padua

The course focuses on neuroimaging and neurostimulation techniques and their neuroscientific application for the study of interindividual brain differences in healthy and pathological populations, with a particular focus on forensic psychiatry. This course explores the fundamental concepts of neuroimaging, neurostimulation, and machine learning, and the main applications of these promising approaches to brain disorders. The course focuses in depth on each of these techniques, as well as on the advantages of their combined used for the study of the human brain connectome organization and its deviances. The course discusses theoretical knowledge on the following topics: 1) why are neuroimaging methods important in clinical settings; 2) how neuroimaging and neurostimulation techniques can be combined to study the patterns of information flow in the brain; 3) how machine learning methods differ from classical statistics; 4) what are the main machine learning methods used in clinical neuroscience; 5) how these methods can be used to investigate the neural basis of brain disorders in a research setting; 6) how these methods can be used to inform diagnostic and prognostic assessment in a clinical setting; 7) how the results obtained at the level of the group can be translated to the single individual; 8) how this approach can be helpful in clinical and forensic settings; 9) what do we mean by “multimodal approaches” and how can we use them to individualize the study in the brain; 9) how results should be interpreted; 10) how neuroscientific approach and classical psychiatry approach can run side by side. The course requires students to have basic knowledge of statistics, clinical neuroscience, neuropsychology, neuroanatomy, and psychiatry as a prerequisite.

This Italian language course at the Common European Framework (CEFR) level of B2 is for students who want to reach an advanced intermediate level of Italian. Students at the B2 level learn to understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics; learn to understand technical discussions and interact with a certain fluency; and learn to produce a clear and detailed text and to argue. The course reviews how to understand and reliably report the opinions and arguments of others; understand and express the meaning of a text; describe places, people, animals, objects, events, and equipment clearly and precisely; describe the structure and explain the contents of a text, written or oral, and in a course, express different points of view; expose the results of a study or research, showing an understanding of the data and information, and how to make comparisons, clarifications, and examples; express certainty or uncertainty about something with explicit linguistic means; make study projects, planning, and research; and complaining and protesting. Students must have attained the equivalent of the B1 level as a prerequisite. The course is graded pass/no pass only.

This course develops an understanding of the basic concepts and issues related to the scientific study of human sexuality. This includes basic genital anatomy, sexual function and dysfunction, the biology and neuroscience of sexual response, social and relational aspects of human sexuality, and treatment of sexual dysfunction. Emphasis is placed on what we do and do not understand, and what future research is needed to fill the gap. The course discusses topics including: sexual anatomy, models of sexual response (e.g., Master & Johnson model, Basson’s model, the Dual Control Model, etc.), sexual function and dysfunction (with a reference to the DSM-IV and DSM-5), development of sexuality and sexual identity (with a focus on sexual orientation and gender identity), and research tools to investigate human sexual response (fMRI, EEG, photopletismography, physiological tools, etc.). The course recommends students have a basic understanding of psychological concepts and research as a prerequisite.

This course provides a systematic review of the basic principles, models, and methods of Psychophysiology research. The association between body and mind is scientifically analyzed by studying cognitive and emotional processes, and considering both physiological and behavioral variables, measured using electrophysiological and neuroimaging techniques. As much as possible, practical (brief) training sessions in the psychophysiology lab are carried out. The course discusses topics including an introduction to functioning principles and methodology of psychophysiological research; biosignal classification, and their application as marker of psychological processing; activation and resting state: peripheral and central (i.e., EEG and fMRI) indices; cognitive activation in healthy adults; and application of psychophysiological techniques to clinical research: evidence from studies on neurological and psychiatric patients. The course requires students to have an adequate knowledge of cognitive processes and anatomo-physiological bases of the central and peripheral nervous system as a prerequisite for the course.

This is an Italian language course at the Common European Framework (CEFR) level of A2. Students learn to communicate simple and routine activities and describe simple aspects of their experiences and their environment. This course includes topics such as how to communicate in simple activities and in routine situations, such as exchanging information about familiar and common topics; how to describe people, places, aspects of students’ lives and the surrounding environment in simple words; and how to express main needs. The course reviews how to communicative functions and tasks; understand and make simple predictions and programs; understand orders and prohibitions; order or forbid someone to do something in more or less polite ways; understand, seek, and ask for information, clarifications, and explanations of study topics; write (in the form of short notes) information; give and understand simple instructions; describe the space or position an element in the space; briefly explain study topics and answer simple questions; express in words certainty or uncertainty about something (certainly, perhaps, I don't know if...); formulate simple hypotheses (if it rains I won't go out); express moods, feelings, and emotions; express the desire to do something, or disgust; talk about two or more events that happen at the same time; ask or tell about past events; and reporting the words of another person (direct speech). Students must have attained the equivalent of the A1 level as a prerequisite. The course is graded pass/no pass only.

This course explores central philosophical questions about the nature of science knowledge, its methodology, and the objects it studies. The course is split into two parts. In the first, the course traces the co-development of science from proto-science in Ancient Greece through to the Scientific Revolution and beyond, and associated accounts of scientific methodology in philosophy, from Aristotle’s theory of demonstration to Karl Popper’s falsificationism and Thomas Kuhn’s paradigm shifts. Here the course encounters questions such as: What constitutes scientific progress? Can scientific theories ever be proved correct? And, how is science different from non-sciences? In the second part, the course looks at four important questions within contemporary philosophy of science: (i) Are scientists committed to the actual truth of their theories? (ii) What are scientific models, and how important are they? (iii) What is the replication crisis within science, and what’s causing it? (iv) What challenge is posed by science denialism in society?

The course examines current theoretical models of defining complex trauma and developmental trauma, as well as the main assessment and intervention tools. The course reviews developmental trauma contexts, brain development in relation to trauma, classification systems, assessment of developmental trauma, and current intervention proposals. The course provides theoretical knowledge about the major adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and, in particular, traumatic developmental conditions involving the parental caregiving system. The role of family dynamics and attachment patterns in the context of traumatic developmental frameworks is explored, and implications for relational development, self, affect regulation and, subsequently, parental function are presented. The course addresses: the definition of the constructs of complex trauma and early relational trauma; current positions and diagnostic classification systems; the clinical frameworks; the context of assessment and tools for the assessment of early relational trauma and developmental trauma; and intervention programs, with an emphasis on developmental interventions. The course requires students to have previous knowledge of the main constructs of Dynamic Psychology and Developmental Psychology, theories and tools of psychological assessment in childhood and adolescence, the theoretical and technical basis of psychological interviewing in developmental age and with parents, some knowledge of the neuro-biological basis of development and behavior, and some aspects of research methodology and data analysis in developmental and clinical settings as prerequisites.

The course discusses research on the dynamics of peer interactions, their impact on multiple aspects of social development, and the risk factors and consequences of peer difficulties in childhood and adolescence. In particular, the course emphasizes the importance of peer relationships for emotional competence, psychological well-being, and achievement. The course reviews how individual characteristics interact with family, group, and contextual factors throughout development to shape social behavior. Each topic is presented with a brief theoretical overview, measures and methods used in research, research findings and implications, and future directions. The course discusses topics including conceptual origins of peer research; overview of concepts and methods of assessment of peer relations; individual characteristics, contextual factors, and peer interactions; group dynamics and their effects on peer relations; and methodological issues in studying peer relations. The course requires students to have basic knowledge of developmental social psychology and research methods as a prerequisite.

The course consists of topics including pre-natal development: central nervous system maturation; post-natal development: neuroplasticity; neural network development; investigation techniques in neuropsychology of vision in infants and old people; and how to use eye-trackers with practical demonstration in lab; neurobiology of ADHD and of learning disabilities; eye movements and eye-tracking in infants and old people; the aging brain; and neurovisual problems in the elderly.

This course, on the psychology of adult development across cultures develops knowledge on main approaches to adult development; explores how adult development is intertwined with cultural and historical changes; identifies specific cultural differences within specific topics of adult development; reviews how to use available tools in research and practice in socially and culturally diverse contexts; discusses PAD (Positive Adult Development) psychoeducational and preventive programs in multicultural contexts; learns how to promote positive identity development across adulthood and how to plan, implement, and evaluate psychoeducational and counseling actions; and explores current trends and present new ideas for research and practice in development across adulthood. The course proposes a theoretical integration of several major streams in contemporary psychological theory about adult development. Emphasis is placed on the importance of both contextual factors and individual differences across different cultures and on preventive and empowering actions professionals may undertake to support positive adult development. Topics addressed include Adult Development: history, concepts, and frameworks; tools and research methods for addressing adult challenges and strengths; cognitive development; emotional and psychosocial development; time perspective and other resources across the life span; steps, transitions, and challenges across adulthood; the critical role of work in adult lives; and innovative and preventive actions to support adult positive development under complex conditions and times. The course requires students to have basic knowledge on developmental psychology social psychology as a prerequisite.