General Information:
Time: Tuesday, Thursday 10:30 am - 1:00 pm
Venue: #207, Bhaktivedanta Institute
Instructors: Arnaud Delorme, PhD., Greg Anderson, M.S.
Course Description:
This course first introduces theories in neuroscience of neural substrates and neural dynamics associated with cognition, emotion, attention, and consciousness of self. The course reviews known mechanisms by which cortical neurons or brain areas interact during certain behavior or internal states. Finally the last part of the course deals with the techniques of biofeedback and neurofeedback where subjects train themselves to produce specific brain or body states. The course presents how to analyze such data using spectral analysis, single trial analysis, and independent component analysis.
Evaluation components:
7 Quizes: 15 marks
Oral presentation and Labs: 10 marks
Term Paper: 20
Midterm: 25 marks
Comprehensive: 30 marks
Part I.
introduction in computational neuroscience & neural binding (week 1 and 2)
I.1. Techniques for recording Brain activity
I.2. Brain areas functions
I.3. Local models of neural coding
I.4. Large scale models of neural coding
I.5. Visual attention and the binding problem
I.6. Visual attention and binding models
Part II. Phenomenology of awareness/consciousness (week 3)
II.1. Visual experiments and illusions
II.2. Neural correlates of awareness/consciousness
II.3. Computational models of consciousness
II.4. Other conceptual models
Part III. Consciousness states and traits: neuropharmacology and mental
illnesses (week 4)
Introduction: consciousness states and traits
III.1. Pharmalogy of the brain
III.2. Review of standard drugs, their effect on the brain and consciousness
III.3. Mental lesions and their effect on consciousness
Part IV. Consciousness, other hypothesis, unaccounted effects (week 5)
IV.1. Extra-ordinary states of consciousness
IV.2. The persistent paradox of psychic phenomena
IV.3. Quantum mechanic theories of consciousness
IV.4. Conclusion: the consciousness debate continues, perspectives
Part V. Biofeedback: studying mind, body and world interactions (week 6)
Intro: what is biofeedback?
V.1. Biofeedback and neurofeedback history
V.2.
Discussion of biofeedback
and the relational viewpoint/relational property viewpoint of Dr. Gomatam
Part VI. Neurofeedback (week 7 to 8)
VI.1. What is EEG
VI.2. Neurofeedback
VI.3. Spectral analysis of EEG data
VI.4. Finding brain sources using Independent Component analysis (ICA)
VI.5. Localizing sources in subject's brain
VI.6. Studying dynamical network in the brain
VI.7. Perspective in biofeedback and neurofeedback