The Plastic Brain: Culture, Experience, and Environment in Mind/Brain Development

Course Description
This course explores the mechanisms of plasticity within the brain from conception through childhood and the factors that influence them. The goal of the course is to provide students with an understanding of how the brain can be shaped through biological development and experience and how these processes are reflected in behavior. For example, topics will include reorganization of the brain following injury, effects of environmental toxins on the brain, as well as how these changes in the brain affect behavior. In addition the course emphasizes learning to critically analyze and write about the diverse lines of research that are influencing ideas in the field. Course requirements include reading primary research articles, library research, and a final research project. Background in psychology, cognitive science, neuropsychology, or neuroscience is highly recommended but not required. This is a core course in the Culture, Brain and Development Program.

Course Goals
The primary goal of this course is examine the brain as a self-organizing structure that is constantly changing in relation to environmental input throughout development. As we begin to understand the role of the brain in behavior it is important to recognize how behavior and the environment feed back and affect the structural and functional organization of the brain. This course will examine several aspects of the environment and follow it’s affect through several levels of analysis showing how it may influence the function and/or development of the brain.

Required Texts

 * Huttenlocher, P.R. (2002). Neural Plasticity. Harvard University Press: Cambridge, MA.

Recommended Resources
The following are NOT required for the course and students will NOT be expected to know the material in them.However, students who have a particular interest in the topics of these books may find them informative and useful supplements to this course.


 * Gazzaniga, M.S., Ivry, R.B., Mangun, G.R (2002) Cognitive Neuroscience 2nd Edition. Norton &amp; Company: NY
 * Kolb &amp; Winshaw. (2006). Introduction to Brain and Behavior 2nd Edition . Worth Publishers.
 * Nelson, C.A. &amp; Luciana, M. (2001). Handbook of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience . MIT Press, Cambridge MA. This is a more advanced text for those who already have a background in psychology and neuroscience, but if you are interested in Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience this is a great resource to have.

Useful Websites

 * Johnson Library Center at Hampshire
 * Neuroscience for kids
 * Interactive Atlases: Digital Anatomist Project This web site has brain dissections, and views of the brain from different angles.
 * Neuroscience Tutorial: Basics of clinical neuroscience for 1st year medical students.
 * The Whole Brain Atlas Material: Human brain w/ imaging including MRI, CT and PET scans
 * Global Anatomy Human brain material with focus on spinal cord, cerebellum, brainstem, thalamus and cranial nerves excellent overview of pathways w/ info on clinical deficits post lesion
 * Neuroguide A searchable and browse able database of neuroscience resources
 * Book Stores: Amazon OR Barns and Nobles check out this sites to see if the textbook is offered at a cheaper price.

Course Format
The format of the course will be primarily discussion based with several lectures at the beginning of the course to review basic concepts. There will be some overlap between the material covered in class and the material covered in the book and assigned readings. A large part of the discussions, however, will be used to supplement, examine, and elaborate upon material. In addition, discussions will be led by STUDENTS as a major component of this course. Therefore, students must complete the assigned readings as well as attend class in order to master the material covered in this course. Adjustments to the required reading may be made frequently, thus it is important to attend class to hear announcements concerning the reading assignments.

Course Requirements
Students are required to attend class, participate in discussions, take notes when necessary, do assigned readings, and complete the assigned papers and a presentation. The required assignments MUST be submitted in order to receive an evaluation in this course. Any student who does not turn sufficient work will NOT receive an evaluation for the course. Please see policy (below).

Course Assignments and Evaluation
Your evaluation for the course will be based on a combination of written assignments, class participation and presentations, and two course papers.

Course Papers and Assignments


 * One presentation with handout, annotated bibliography, outline and 7-10 page paper
 * One 3-5 page response paper
 * One final reflection paper 5-7 pages

Attendance
Class attendance is a requirement of this course.

Missing Class:
I will not be taking attendance every day, but missing class will have an impact on your evaluation.

Class outline, handouts
The class outline and other handouts will be made available in class only on the day of the lecture. Students who miss class should arrange to get the lecture notes from another student. I will not make extra lecture notes available to any student under any circumstances. The reason for this is that class attendance, and good note taking, are necessary for mastery of the material presented in lecture.

Assignments
All assignments must be turned in at the beginning of class, unless otherwise specified. Late assignments are generally NOT accepted. However, ONE and only one assignment may be ONE class late (so use this opportunity wisely). This CANNOT be your presentation. If you choose to turn in an assignment late, you must contact the instructor before the assignment is due. This must be done by e-mail. Extensions for due dates on more than one assignment will not be granted. An assignment will be considered late if not turned in on the due date. Late assignments should be turned in at the beginning of the NEXT class period. Evaluations will not be given on any more than one late assignment.

Concerns about evaluations
Occasionally, a student disagrees with an evaluation they received on a paper. I welcome such disagreements when it means that a student is thinking more deeply about a topic, or the student can appropriately justify their claim. Therefore, challenges to evaluations will be considered, but only when the student puts their reasons for challenging the evaluation in writing. Thus, a student who wants to challenge an evaluation should carefully explain their reason(s) in detail on paper, and turn into us the original paper and their type-written justification by the next class period. I will consider the reasons carefully, and then provide in writing my reasons for adjusting or not adjusting the evaluation.

Incompletes
An “incomplete” will be granted at the discretion of the instructor only under the most unusual and incapacitating circumstances. If you miss more than two classes, or feel that you are in danger of not completing the course for any reason, please come see us as soon as possible. Any student seeking an incomplete must (1) request the “incomplete” in writing prior to the last week of class, (2) provide appropriate written documentation of the illness or circumstances, and (3) make specific arrangements with the instructor to complete the required coursework. Students will have one semester to complete any missed exams/assignments to replace the incomplete with an evaluation. Failure to complete the required work within this time frame will result in a “no evaluation.”

Special Needs:
I encourage students with disabilities or special needs to discuss with me whatever arrangements may be needed to facilitate their work in the course. Students with special needs should contact me during the first week of class to discuss any special arrangements.

Student Presentations

 * Presentation Dates
 * Presentations Materials

Class Materials

 * Lecture Support Material