PSYS6005

This course explores neurocognitive impairments in psychosis. Starting with a basic introduction to cognitive functions and ways to study them, it reviews methodological issues and conceptual assumptions of using neuropsychological methods to characterize brain function impairments in psychosis. The nature of neurocognitive dysfunctions observed, including long term memory, working memory, semantic memory, selective attention, sustained attention, and executive functions will be studied. Implications of their impairments in psychotic disorders will be discussed. The course will cover how these functions were assessed, including issues n psychometrics and measurement principles (such as double dissociation and learning effects). The relationship between neurocognitive dysfunctions and functional outcome will be highlighted. This course also review the current use of cognitive theories to account for symptoms of psychosis, such as the inner speech theory for auditory hallucinations, failure of internal monitoring for passivity phenomena, the probabilistic reasoning theory of delusion formation.

​

Course coordinators: Prof Christy Hui