Everything that goes on in the mind, the way we see, feel, remember and act, is constrained by the way the brain works.

Like other strands, the Brain & Behaviour strand runs through Years 1 and 2. In year 1, Brain & Behaviour runs through the Autumn and Spring terms, with each term being divided into two four week teaching blocks, each normally the responsibility of a different member of the strand's teaching team. In year 2, the strand again runs through both Autumn and Spring terms but also extends into the Summer term. Exams occur each year at the beginning of the Spring term and at the end of the Summer term.

Year 1

In Year 1 the aim is to provide a framework for understanding the link between brain and behaviour. We will begin by outlining the principles of neuroscience and their importance in studying cognitive functions. This will lead to an overview of how brain and behaviour is shaped by an individual’s emotions, motivation and the social context that necessarily accompanies any human activity.

TB1: Principles of neuroscience and their importance in studying cognitive functions - Prof Tim Andrews
TB2: Dementia and the brain: A practical application of cognitive neuroscience - Prof Beth Jefferies
TB3: Neuroscience of Developmental Disorders- Dr Amanda Hickey
TB4: Cognitive Neuroscience Methods - Dr Silke Goebel

Year 2

In Year 2 the aim is to understand how the human brain mediates higher mental functions such as attention, language, memory and action. We will explore what we can learn about normal psychological processes using different methods in cognitive neuroscience. Finally, we will examine how populations of neurons act together to represent the world and control behaviour.

TB6: Brain mechanisms of Action and Decision- Dr Alex Reid
TB7: Clinical Neuroscience - Dr David Pitcher
TB8: Brain Mechanisms of Memory - Prof Beth Jefferies
TB9: Interoception - Dr Catherine Preston
TB10: Principles of Neural Representation - Dr Tom Hartley