Neuroscience and the Mind

How does the human brain—a vast, interconnected ensemble of cells—give rise to a mind capable of writing poetry, playing chess, and doing calculus? Understanding the neural underpinnings of the mental processes responsible for such complex activities is the central aim of cognitive neuroscience, the field of study dedicated to an integrated understanding of brain and mind. In this subject, students will be exposed to conceptual, methodological, and ethical issues at the centre of current debates in the field. Specifically, we will explore how brain-behaviour relationships are identified and used to inform models of cognition; methods of measuring and influencing cerebral activity; the neural mechanisms underlying a wide range of mental processes, such as attention, perception, and memory; and the implications of advances in our knowledge of the brain for psychiatric and neurological populations and society at large.