HNE-51306 Nutritional Neurosciences

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

No specific courses required. Basics of human physiology, basics of Nutrition Behaviour

Contents:

This course focuses on acquisition of knowledge and skills for research in the emerging field of human nutritional neurosciences, at the interface of neurobiological and behavioral sciences. The course consists of plenary lectures and practical work. Lectures cover both basic as well as state of the art topics: introduction to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and functional MRI; introduction to electrophysiological measurements related to food choice and eating behavior, including Electroencephalography (EEG); the effects of macro- and micronutrients on human brain function and behavior; modulation of human cognitive brain function and behavior by nutrients and supplements; the neurobiological basis of sensory perception, satiation and satiety, and food-related cognitive processes (e.g. preference learning, memory, emotions, and food-related decision making); neuro-economics and marketing.
The practical work includes supervised tutorials and a data analysis computer practical. Tutorial's cover various parts of the brain and their function in sensory perception, satiety and food-related cognitive processes. The computer practical involves instruction and practice sessions on fMRI and EEG data analysis with software packages which are widely used in nutritional neuroscience research (SPM (Statistical Parametric Mapping) and EEGLAB).

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- have basic theoretical knowledge on various methods used in human nutritional neuroscience (fMRI, EEG, Autonomic nervous system measurements like electrodermal response measurements);
- have theoretical knowledge on neuropsychobiological models explaining core functions involved in nutrition and eating behaviour (perception of taste and smell, satiation and satiety, the role of learning and emotions in food choice, modulation of food-related brain function by nutrients and/or food supplements), cognitive factors affecting consumer behaviour);
- be able to identify brain areas involved in food-related behaviour and describe their function;
- be able to analyse and interpret fMRI and EEG data from food-related experiments.

Activities:

- lectures on the basics as well as the state of the art of this field;
- supervised group work on this topic; designing a new nutritional neuroscience study;
- data analysis practical sessions consisting of training in fMRI and EEG data analysis with widely used academic software packages.

Examination:

Marking procedure as in the study guide: All data analysis practicals are compulsory and assignments have to be signed of by supervisor. The final mark for the course is based on two sub marks:
1. Submark based on written exam, that counts for 70% of the final grade, and must be 5.5 or higher.
2. Submark based upon group work (output is research proposal and oral presentation; group members can get different marks depending on their individual contribution/performance during the group work).
The submark for group work counts for 30% of the final grade.
There is a CAS available for this course

Literature:

To be announced.