Overview

The main objective of this unit is to provide an understanding of the psychophysiology of emotional processes, the affective and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, other Axis I disorders and the processes of normal and abnormal aging. This unit examines the underlying neurophysiology associated with the major mental health disorders.

Requisites

Prerequisites
NEU30002 Sleep and Attention
NEU30004 Higher Cortical Function

Rules

Pre-requisite
NEU30002 Sleep and Attention
AND
NEU30004 Higher Cortical Function
OR
25 cp of Level 2 or Level 3 NEU Units

Equivalent
HET631 - Abnormal Psychophysiology (Discontinued)

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Critically apply a broad and deep knowledge of the underlying neurobiology of major mental disorders
  • Compare and contrast techniques in cognitive neuroscience with an advanced understanding of brain and aging
  • Evaluate current scientific literature and effectively critique findings associated with empirical research
  • Synthesise, critique and deliver a seminar presentation on an experimental journal article
  • Evaluate peer review information and produce scientific reports and literature reviews to publication standard

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Lecture		3.00 12 weeks 36
Face to Face Contact (Phasing out)
Seminar		2.00 12 weeks 24
Specified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Various		3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Learning Activities (Phasing out)
Individual Study		4.50 12 weeks 54
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssessmentIndividual 25% 3,4 
AssignmentIndividual 25% 3,5 
ExaminationIndividual 50% 1,2,3 

Content

  • Aging: psychophysiology of normal aging in the brain, and in the dementias
  • Emotional processes: psychophysiological correlates of emotional processes
  • Schizophrenia: biological factors including biochemical abnormalities and brain imaging studies, information processing abnormalities, behavioural measures, models of the disorder and therapeutic approaches
  • Psychopathology: psychophysiology of affective disorders, anxiety disorders, somatoform and dissociative disorders, substance abuse and organic disorders

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.