Schedule

Wk 1, Jan 13

INTRO
Topics: Syllabus, overview, ``What makes for a good discussion?''
Readings: None

Wk 2, Jan 20

GENERAL ISSUES
Topics: Brain/mind link, levels of analysis, pieces of the brain/mind (modules, specialized subsystems, etc), general properties of neural computation, general types of methodology.
Readings: [Marr1982], Chapter 1, pp. 8-29; [Sejnowski & Churchland1989]; [Rumelhart & McClelland1986]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 1, pp. 19-31; [Shallice1988], Chapter 2, pp. 18-37; [Kosslyn1994], Chapter 2, pp. 25-51.

Wk 3, Jan 27

NEUROANATOMY: TOPOLOGY OF COGNITION
Topics: Cortical lobes and areas, subcortical areas, broadman numbers, functional specializations: which functions are performed by separate specialized brain areas and which are not, why is the brain carved up the way it is, how does the cortex develop?
Computer Visualization: Interactive Brain Atlas (CD-ROM sofware, Avail in CLIPR and ICS).
Readings: [Banich1997], Chapter 1, pp. 1-47; [Rakic1994]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 5, pp. 155-169;

Wk 4, Feb 3

NEUROANATOMY QUIZ!

Wk 4, Feb 3

ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY AND NEUROIMAGING: SEEING ACTIVITY IN THE BRAIN
Topics: Details of electrophysiology, PET, fMRI, EEG, MEG, etc, advantages and disadvantages of each method, what kinds of questions can we answer?, could we do anything sensible even if we had the perfect imaging technique?
Readings: [Banich1997], Chapter 2, pp. 61-81; [Raichle1997]; [Cohen et al.1993]; [Arieli et al.1996]; [Sarter et al.1996]; and re-read [Sejnowski & Churchland1989] with emphasis on imaging and single unit recording.

Wk 5, Feb 10

NEUROPSYCHOLOGY: EFFECTS OF DAMAGE ON COGNITION
Topics: Double dissociations & modularity, nature of cognitive architecture as it interacts with brain damage,
Readings: [Shallice1988], Chapter 10-11, pp. 217-266; [Plaut1995]; and re-read with emphasis on neuropsychology: [Shallice1988], Chapter 2, pp. 18-37; [Kosslyn1994], Chapter 2, pp. 25-51.

Wk 6, Feb 17

COMPUTATIONAL MODELS: MAKING THE LINK
Topics: Neuron-as-detector, distributed representations, graded processing, nonlinear dynamics, learning, graceful degradation, specialization.
Simulations: Prosopagnosia model [Farah et al.1993], no-disengage attention model [Cohen et al.1994], other models..
Readings: [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 2, pp. 37-65 (selected sections); [Farah1994]; [Jacobs & Jordan1992]; and re-read with emphasis on computational models: [Sejnowski & Churchland1989]; [Rumelhart & McClelland1986]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 1, pp. 19-31.

Feb 19 - Feb 22

TAKE-HOME MIDTERM EXAM!

Wk 7, Feb 24

PERCEPTION AND ATTENTION
Topics: Structure of the visual system (dual pathway), object recognition, agnosias (e.g., prosopagnosia)
Simulations: Visual object recognition.
Readings: [Desimone & Ungerleider1989]; [Ungerleider & Haxby1994]; [Goodale & Milner1992]; [Tootell et al.1996]; [Farah1992]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 6, pp. 185-199;
Optional bonus readings: [Logothetis & Sheinberg1996]; [Tanaka1996].

Wk 8, Mar 3

PERCEPTION AND ATTENTION
Topics: Spatial processing, neglect, attention
Simulations: Visual attention (Posner task, neglect, visual search).
Readings: [Desimone & Duncan1995]; [Behrmann & Tipper1994]; [Mozer & Sitton1996]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 6, pp. 199-209.

Wk 9, Mar 10

LEARNING AND MEMORY
Topics: Complementary memory systems: cortex and hippocampus,
Simulations: Cortical priming; Hippocampus and AB-AC memory task.
Readings: [Squire & Knowlton1994]; [O'Reilly1992]; [Rudy & Sutherland1995]; [Vargha-Khadem et al.1997]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 7, pp. 211-229.

Wk 10, Mar 17

LEARNING AND MEMORY
Topics: Active memory, A-not-B task in monkeys, humans
Simulations: Recurrent excitation active memory system.
Readings: [Miller et al.1996]; [Diamond & Goldman-Rakic1989]; [Munakatain press]; [O'Reilly et al.1998], Chapter 7, pp. 229-232.

Wk 11, Mar 24

SPRING BREAK - NO CLASS

Wk 12, Mar 31

LANGUAGE
Topics: Basics of brain basis of language: aphasias (impaired speech) (Broca/Wernicke and more), dyslexias (impaired reading)
Simulations: Reading model.
Readings: [Alexander1997]; [Saffran1997]; [Shallice1988], Chapter 5, pp. 88-129; [Plautin press]; [McClelland & Seidenbergin preparation]

Wk 13, Apr 7

LANGUAGE
Topics: Neural basis of semantic representations; distributed vs localized; relation to other cognitive processes.
Simulations: Semantics model??
Readings: [Saffran & Schwartz1994]; [Damasio et al.1996]; [Hodges et al.1994]

Wk 14, Apr 14

HIGHER LEVEL COGN
Topics: Neuropsych tasks (WCST, etc.), planning, problem solving, monitoring: what is it that the PFC does?
Readings: [Banich1997], Chapter 10, pp. 368-387; [Shallice1988], Chapter 14, pp. 328-352; [Fuster1990]; [Baker et al.1996]

Wk 15, Apr 21

HIGHER LEVEL COGN
Topics: Controlled processing and the Stroop model, working memory, ``working with memory''. Simulations: Stroop
Readings: [Cohen & Servan-Schreiber1992]; [Cohen et al.1997]; [Moscovitch1992]; [O'Reilly et al.in press]

Wk 16, Apr 28

EMOTION AND OTHER TOPICS
Topics: Emotion, reinforcement and learning,,
Readings: [LeDoux1995]; [[Schultz et al.1997]; or [Montague et al.1996]]; [Schultz et al.1995]; [Doyon et al.1997]??; [Gao et al.1996]??

Apr 30 - May 4

TAKE-HOME FINAL EXAM!