How do you perceive and act? How do you speak and listen? How do you remember? What goes wrong when people suffer from aphasia, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease? Answers to these questions are to be found in the brain, the most complex, intricate and fascinating organ in the universe. During the past few decades, several scientific disciplines, including psychology, neurology, physics, biology and genetics have joined forces in trying to understand the neural basis of perceiving, acting, speaking, listening, remembering and other cognitive processes, from molecule to behaviour. This research enterprise, called Cognitive Neuroscience, seeks to understand the biological underpinnings of cognition and behaviour in terms of explanatory principles ranging from small-scale levels, including molecules and neurons, to larger-scale levels, including brain networks.At the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour at Radboud University, over 500 researcher use a variety of cutting-edge techniques, such as electrophysiology, brain imaging and genetics methods, to unravel cognition and behaviour and its breakdown due to stroke or neurodegenerative diseases. Research into cognitive neuroscience in Nijmegen is at the scientific forefront and the Donders Institute is one of the world-leading institutes in this research area.The summer school course on cognitive neuroscience will give you a thorough introduction into this exciting research field and to the actual research in Nijmegen in particular. Faculty members at the summer school are world-renowned experts, who are both Principal Investigators at the Donders Institute and lecturers in the corresponding Research Master%E2%80%99s programme at the Donders Graduate School for Cognitive Neuroscience.During the course you will be introduced to our four specific research topics, Language and Communication; Perception, Action, and Control; Plasticity and Memory; and Brain Networks and Neuronal Communication. In addition, you will get hands-on demonstrations at our research labs. After completing the course, you should have gained a basic understanding of cognition and behaviour in terms of elementary operating principles of the brain, be able to relate operating principles at smaller and larger scales in the brain, and to apply the operating principles to the breakdown of cognition and behaviour in neurodegenerative diseases.

Course leader
Dr. C. (Christian) DoellerPrincipal Investigator; Associate Professor; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Faculty of Science, Radboud University Dr. A. (Arno) KoningCoordinator of the Master of Cognitive Neuroscience Programme

Target group
Students starting or just having finished their final bachelor's year in cognitive, behavioural, biomedical, language, or natural science or related disciplines; Master's students or aspiring PhD students outside Cognitive Neuroscience.Entry levelAdvanced Bachelor

Course aim
After this course you are able to:Analyse cognition and behaviour in term of basic operating principles of the brain. Relate explanatory principles at small-scale brain levels, including molecules and neurons, to larger-scale levels, including brain networks. Explain cognitive and behavioural disorders in aphasia, Alzheimer disease, and Parkinson's disease in terms of these operating principles of the brain.

Credits info
2 ECTS European Credits



Fee info
EUR 400: The course fee includes the registration fee, course materials, access to library and IT facilities, coffee/tea, lunch, and a number of social activities.Possible discounts10% discount for early bird applicants. The early bird deadline is 1 April 2015 15% discount for students and PhD candidates from partner universities

Radboud University
Address: P.O Box 9102 Nijmegen
Postal code: 6500 HC
City: Nijmegen
Country: Netherlands
Website: http://www.ru.nl/radboudsummerschool/
E-mail: radboudsummerschool@ru.nl
Phone: +31 (0)24 8187706