Translational Applications of Social and Behavioral Neuroscience

Catalog description

This course explores translational applications of Social and Behavioral Neuroscience to a particular population or populations at risk, how neuroscience contributes to a broader multi-level understanding of the phenomenon and more comprehensive theory and evidence-based intervention approaches, and how understandings derived from neuroscience can inform policy and best practice. Content may also address how neuroscience can contribute to the evaluation of behavioral interventions to inform factors such as (a) etiological heterogeneity that may moderate treatment efficacy, (b) neurological processes that mediate the behavioral effects of intervention, and (c) the implications of neuroscience evidence for assessing individual-level responsivity to intervention. These topics naturally integrate advances in the idea of "personalized medicine" to include behaviorally targeted prevention and intervention programs. Topics explored may include the neuroscientific substrates of: substance use, misuse, and addiction, learning disabilities, developmental disability, and behavioral problems. SBN 511 will incorporate transdisciplinary, transactional developmental models that take into account individual characteristics across multiple levels of analysis (i.e. genetic, neurobiological, psychological, behavioral) throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, in interaction with contextual and experiential conditions (family, peers, adversity) that bear directly on individual risk and resilience and, more broadly, policy and best practice. This course aims to lay a foundation so that students may critically read and conduct research in the topical area and understand how the topic can be examined at different levels of analysis. The course will emphasize class participation and provide multiple opportunities to examine related topics in written and spoken form.