Cognitive Disorders and Neurological Vulnerability

In this SERIE students will be interested in the question of inequalities and which ones we need to report, to explain why some individuals are better able to cope with cognitive disorders than others. Cognition, at the level of a population, can only be understood thanks to the concept of cognitive reserve, which explains why some individuals with a healthy life style build stronger brain connectivity and better resist to brain pathological processes. Vulnerability is an even broader vision than cognitive reserve, since it presupposes that childhood health, common risk factors, living and working environments, life events and many other variables influence cognitive performance in daily life. 

Trans-disciplinarity is essential to account for these complex interactions. 

You can't understand vulnerability, its relationship to cognition, if you don't use different multidisciplinary approaches, and that's exactly what we're doing in the module we're offering. For example, we use cognition, psychology, neuropsychology, social psychology, but also statistical sciences, machine-learning, epidemiology. And finally, we need to draw inspiration from biology, medicine, and all knowledge about the brain or the factors that influence it.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the diverse manifestations of cognitive disorders and the challenges in their assessment.
• Explore the concepts of vulnerability and cognitive reserve.
• Identify modifiable and non-modifiable factors influencing cognitive reserve and vulnerability to brain damage.
• Recognize cognitive disorders as a source of individual vulnerability.

Main Contents

• Cognitive Decline and Loss of Autonomy
• Pathologies Leading to Neurocognitive Disorders
• Cognitive Reserve and Cerebral Reserve
• Non-Modifiable Risk Factors for Neurocognitive Impairment
• Modifiable Risk Factors for Neurocognitive Impairment
• Multi-Domain Prevention Trials for Neurocognitive Impairment
• Emerging Factors of Cognitive Vulnerability
• Impact of Socio-Economic Inequalities on Neurocognitive Disorders
• Tools for Measuring Neurocognitive Disorders
• Challenges in Assessing Cognition in Vulnerable Populations
• Impact of Neurocognitive Disorders on Vulnerability
• Neurocognitive Disorders and the Justice System
• Methodology: Establishing Causality Between a Factor and Cognitive Impairment
• Formal and Informal Support for Individuals with Dementia

Specific Requirements

• To be specified with Dr. Laurent Cleret upon registration.

Training Period

• Academic Year
• Duration: 20 hours

Mode of Learning

• Remote