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Lifecourse Influences on Behaviour and Cognition

Module description

Our behaviour and our cognitive processes are influenced by a number of factors. Some of these influences are to be found in our genetic code, while others are in the environment we live in. Genetic and environmental factors interact throughout our life and affect the way we think and behave. These factors act differently at different stages of our life. In early life, they affect the development of our brain. During adolescence, they consolidate our wellbeing. In mid- and late-life they affect the maintenance of healthy brain structures to postpone aging, influencing the way our brain functions and ages.

In this module you will learn about the latest theories and research advances on genetic and environmental influences on behaviour and cognition. You will gain a basic knowledge of epigenetics, the science of the modifications of the genome that are affected by experiences.  You will discuss early life processes, late life aging mechanisms, and the years in between. Through a mixture of lectures and practical work you will gain a basic understanding of biological mechanisms underlying changes in brain and behaviour. This module will give you the foundations for later studies in neurosciences, genetics or molecular epidemiology and it will help you understand molecular diagnostic and pharmacological interventions in psychology and mental health that you might encounter in clinical practice.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module will give you an overview of the latest advances in genetics and epigenetics of human behaviour and brain changes across life. Through a combination of lectures, guided practicals and group work you will deepen your understanding of the molecular bases of human behaviour and cognitive development. You will learn to critically assess studies that involve genetics and epigenetics in the context of human behaviour and cognition. The practical work will give you some hands-on examples of how to practically conduct this type of research and what these studies involve, which will improve your expertise on the topic. The group work will deepen your independent and critical thinking regarding cutting-edge science topics. The formative and summative assessments will consolidate your learning to support further education pathways or a clinical career. 

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the factors influencing behaviour and cognition throughout the lifecourse
• 2. Describe how these factors operate at each stage of the lifecourse
• 3. Explain the biological basis through which these factors confer their effects
• 4. Articulate the power and limitations of genomic and epigenomic approaches to understanding human behaviour and cognition

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Acquire detailed, systematic and comprehensive knowledge within the discipline, with in-depth specialisation at the forefront of the discipline in certain areas
• 6. Review and critically evaluate published work and identify the strengths and weaknesses of this work to support conclusions at an advanced level
• 7. Address systematically complex problems which may be framed within unpredictable contexts, thinking critically, creatively, and independently, and fully appreciating the complexities of the issues at an advanced level
• 8. Demonstrate an awareness of the wider ethical issues relating to the subject and its application at an advanced level

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 9. Interact effectively and supportively within a learning group
• 10. Manage your own learning using the full range of resources of the discipline and with minimum guidance
• 11. Engage effectively in debate in a professional manner and produce detailed and coherent written work
• 12. Manage time effectively to meet deadlines

Syllabus plan

This module will cover a range of topics, for example:

1)    Introduction to genetics, the environment, gene-environment interaction and epigenetics

2)    Early life (neurodevelopment, autism, ADHD, internalising/externalising behaviours, cognitive development)

3)    Key transitional stages (adolescents’ mental health, addiction)

4)    Mid-life experiences (mental illness, predictors of dementia and cognitive aging)

5)    Late life (cognitive decline, dementia)

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Two assessments are required for this module. Where you have been referred/deferred in the examination you will have the opportunity to take a second examination in the August/September re-assessment period. Where you have been referred/deferred in the coursework you will be required to resubmit the coursework. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%; deferred marks are not capped.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• A life course approach to mental disorders / edited by Karestan C. Koenen, Sasha Rudenstine, Ezra Susser, Sandro Galea.
• Principles of psychiatric genetics / edited by John I. Nurnberger Jr., Wade H. Berrettini

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages

Key words search

Genetics; Epigenetics; lifecourse; cognition; aging; neurodevelopment