Important notice
The course guide is provisional.
The PDF version of the course guide may take a few days to become available in the DDD.
Progress in the Neurobiology of Communication and Language
Code: 45529Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Communication and Language Disorders | OB | 1 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Margalida Coll Andreu
- Email :
- margalida.coll@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Margalida Coll Andreu
- Sonia Darbra Marges
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
No prerequisites are needed.
Objectives
The objective of the subject is to provide current knowledge to students about functional neuroanatomy and neurochemistry of communication and language disorders. The students will work on questions that require understanding the nature of the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of various disorders and analyzing the importance of the relationship between the genetic factors and the protective and risk environmental factors. Furthermore, it is intended that students understand the characteristics of of brain development throughout the life span and experience-dependent functional reorganization of the brain. The students will also acquire skills and competences related to the critical reading of scientific publications and to the communication of information about the neurobiology of communication and language.
Learning outcomes
- CA02 (Critically analyse research data in the neurobiology of communication and language disorders.) Critically analyse research data in the neurobiology of communication and language disorders.
- CA03 (Clearly communicate information about the neurobiology of communication and language disorders to the specialist public and the general public.) Clearly communicate information about the neurobiology of communication and language disorders to the specialist public and the general public.
- CA04 (Make decisions autonomously in the context of the neurobiology of communication and language.) Make decisions autonomously in the context of the neurobiology of communication and language.
- KA04 (Distinguish between the relevance and adequacy of research methods and designs in the context of the neurobiology of communication and language disorders.) Distinguish between the relevance and adequacy of research methods and designs in the context of the neurobiology of communication and language disorders.
- KA05 (Scientifically analyse the limitations and biases of theories in the field of neurobiology of communication and language disorders.) Scientifically analyse the limitations and biases of theories in the field of neurobiology of communication and language disorders.
- SA04 (Critically interpret scientific publications in the field of neurobiology of language and communication.) Critically interpret scientific publications in the field of neurobiology of language and communication.
- SA05 (Write scientific reports in the field of neurobiology of communication and language disorders.) Write scientific reports in the field of neurobiology of communication and language disorders.
- SA06 (Use documentary sources to obtain relevant information in the field of neurobiology of communication and language.) Use documentary sources to obtain relevant information in the field of neurobiology of communication and language.
Contents
• Functional Neuroanatomy of Language and Communication
• Genes, Language and Communication
• Brain Development and Plasticity
• Neurochemical Alterations in Language and Communication Disorders
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading articles and other scientific documents | 40.5 | 1.62 | CA02, KA04, SA04, SA06 |
| Search for documentation in journals, books and other documentation sources | 8 | 0.32 | CA02, SA04, SA06 |
| Personal study | 40.5 | 1.62 | CA02, KA04, KA05, SA04, SA06 |
| Tutorial | 7.5 | 0.3 | |
| Preparation of oral presentation | 7 | 0.28 | CA03, CA04 |
| Preparation of written works | 15 | 0.6 | CA02, CA03, CA04, KA04, KA05, SA04, SA05, SA06 |
| Expository classes | 30 | 1.2 | CA02, KA04, KA05, SA04, SA06 |
| Oral presentations | 1.5 | 0.06 | CA03, CA04 |
The teaching methodology is based on different activities. Depending on the situation, active
lectures or seminars will be held and supervised independent activities will be carried out:Use of artificial intelligence:
In this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is allowed as an integral part
of the development of the work, provided that the final result reflects a significant contribution
of the student in the analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts
have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical consideration on
how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency
in the use of AI will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a penalization in the
grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EV1: Critical analysis of bibliographic sources | 25 | 0 | 0 | CA02, KA04, KA05, SA04 |
| EV2a: Bibliographic search results | 15 | 0 | 0 | CA02, CA04, SA04, SA06 |
| EV3: Oral presentation and defense of the revision work | 30 | 0 | 0 | CA03, CA04 |
| EV2b: Written review work (maximum 5 pages) | 30 | 0 | 0 | CA02, CA03, CA04, KA04, KA05, SA04, SA05, SA06 |
The evaluation of the subject will be carried out following the \"Evaluation Guidelines for the Degrees of the Faculty of Psychology\", which can be found at https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html, and based on various evidence of learning:
EV1: Critical analysis of scientific bibliographic sources (25% of the final grade). Written and in group. Submission: week 7. Feedback: week 8 in a specific rubric format.
EV2: Dissertation about a relevant issue on the Neurobiology of Hearing, Language and Communication (40% of the final grade): Written and Individual.
EV2a: Results of the bibliographic search (4 articles) (10%) Submission: Week 9. This evidence may require more than one feedback, depending on the initial selection of papers. The first feedback will be done on week 9. If required, a second feedback will be done on week 10 in written format.
EV2b: Preparation and submission of a written report on the chosen topic about the Neurobiology of Hearing, Language and Communication (30%). Submission: week 15. Feedback on week 19 in a tutorial format.
EV3 Oral presentation and defense of the chosen topic (30%). Feedback on week 19 in a tutorial format
Overall grade
The overall grade for the subject will be the weighted average of the scores obtained in each of the learning evidences, provided that the grade of EV2b is equal to or greater than 4.
In the event that these requirements are not met, the grade on the academic transcript will be the lower value between 4.5 points and the weighted average of the grades of the continuous assessment.
| Kind of feedback | EVIDENCE | WEEK |
| Written | EV1 | 8 |
| Written | EV2a | 9-10 (depending on whether changes in the initial selections have to be done after the first feedback) |
| Tutoring | EV2b | 20 |
| Tutoring | EV3 | 20 |
Recovery
Due to its nature, EV3 cannot be recovered.
If the final grade of the Module does not reach 5 and/or the EV2b grade is lower than 4, it will be necessary to recover. Recovery consists of re-elaborating EV2 (Ev2a and EV2b).
The maximum grade that can be obtained after recovery is 5 (out of 10).
Definition of \"Non evaluable\"
Students who have not submitted either of the two pieces of evidence related to the Review Work (EV2a and EV2b) or who have submitted several pieces of evidence but the total weight of these is less than 40.5 of the final grade will receive the grade of \"Non evaluable\"
Synthesis test
For students in their 2nd year or later, the same continuous assessment will be followed, therefore it is NOT expected that there will be an assessment through a single non-recoverable synthesis test.
Bibliography
BASIC BIBLIOGRAPHY
Braid J, Richlan F (2022) The Functional Neuroanatomy of Reading Intervention. Front Neurosci. 16:921931
Caspi A; Moffitt TE (2006) Gene-environment interactions in psychiatry: joining forces with neuroscience. Nat Rev Neurosci. 7(7): 583-590.
Gazerani P (2025) The neuroplastic brain: current breakthroughs and emerging frontiers. Brain Res. 1858:149643
Ghosh A, Michalon A, Lindemann L, Fontoura P, Santarelli L (2013) Drug discovery for autism spectrum disorder: challenges and opportunities. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 12(10):777-90
Local activity alterations in autism spectrum disorder correlate with neurotransmitter properties and ketamine induced brain changes
Kral A, Sharma A (2023) Crossmodal plasticity in hearing loss. Trends Neurosci. 46(5):377-393
Lieberman P (2013) Synapses, Language, and Being Human. Science. 342(6161):944-945
Manter MA, Birtwell KB, Bath J, Friedman NDB, Keary CJ, Neumeyer AM, Palumbo ML, Thom RP, Stonestreet E, Brooks H, Dakin K, Hooker JM, McDougle CJ (2025) Pharmacological treatment in autism: a proposal for guidelines on common co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. BMC Med. 23(1):11
Marotta R, Risoleo MC, Messina G, Parisi L, Carotenuto M, Vetri L, Roccella M (2020) The Neurochemistry of Autism. Brain Sci. 10(3):163
Montanari M, Martella G, Bonsi P, Meringolo M (2022) Autism Spectrum Disorder: Focus on Glutamatergic Neurotransmission. Int J Mol Sci. 23(7): 3861
Nasios G, Dardiotis E, Messinis L. (2019) From Broca and Wernicke to the Neuromodulation Era: Insights of Brain Language Networks for Neurorehabilitation. Behav Neurol. 2019:9894571
Newbury DF, Monaco AP, Paracchini S.(2014) Reading and language disorders: the importance of both quantity and quality. Genes. 5(2):285-309.
Norton ES, Beach SD, Gabrieli JD (2015) Neurobiology of dyslexia. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 30: 73-38.
Poeppel D (2014) The neuroanatomic and neurophysiological infrastructure for speech and language. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 28: 142-149.
Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, Hall WC, Lamantia A-S, Mcnamara JO, Williams, S. Neurociencia (3ª Ed, 2007). Buenos Aires: Editorial Médica Panamericana. Capítulos 21, 22, 23 y 24
Simmons, D (2008) Behavioral genomics. Nature Education 1(1):54.
Tomiyama S, Yoshida K, Tani H, Uchida H (2025) Pharmacological Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review of Treatment Guidelines. Pharmacopsychiatry 58(3):100-116
Wolpaw JR, Thompson AK (2023) Enhancing neurorehabilitation by targeting beneficial plasticity. Front Rehabil Sci. 4:1198679
COMPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bates E, Roe K (2001) Language development in children with unilateral brain injury. En: Nelson, C. A.; Luciana, M. (Eds). Handbook of developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. The MIT Press. Pp. 281-308.
Bavelier D, Neville HJ (2002) Cross-modal plasticity: Where and how? Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 3: 443-452
Canitano R (2014) New experimental treatments for core social domain in autism spectrum disorders. Front Pediatr. 2:61
Dror, AA, Avraham KB. (2009) Hearing loss: Mechanisms revealed by genetics and cell biology. Annu. Rev. Genet. 43: 411-437
Hagoort P. (2017). The core and beyond in the language-ready brain. Neurosci Biobehav Rev.; 81(Pt B):194-204.
Heimler B, Weisz N, Collignon O (2014) Revisiting the adaptive and maladaptive effects of crossmodal plasticity. Neuroscience, 283: 44-63.
Kleim, J. A. & Jones, T. A. (2008). Principles of experience-dependent neural plasticity: implications for rehabilitation after brain damage. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 51, 225-239.
Kral A, Sharma A (2012) Developmental neuroplasticity after cochlear implantation. Trends in Neurosciences, 35(2): 111-122.
Marcus G, Rabagliati H (2006) What developmental disorders can tell us about the nature and origins of language. Nat Neurosci. 9(10): 1226-1229.
Matsunaga E, Okanoya K (2014) Cadherins: potential regulators in the faculty of language. Curr Opin Neurobiol, 28:28-33
Narbona, J. & Crespo-Eguílaz, N. (2012). Plasticidad cerebral para el lenguaje en el niño y el adolescente. Revista de Neurología, 54 (Supl. 1), 127-130.
Small SL, Llano DA (2009) Biological approaches to aphasia treatment. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 9(6):443-50
Spooren W, Lindemann L, Ghosh A, Santarelli L (2012) Synapse dysfunction in autism: a molecular medicine approach to drug discovery in neurodevelopmental disorders. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 33(12):669-84
White EJ, Hutka SA, Williams LJ, Moreno S (2013) Learning, neural plasticity and sensitive periods: implications for language acquisition, music training and transfer across the life span. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 7, Article 90
Wong PC, Morgan-Short K, Ettlinger M, Zheng J (2012) Linking neurogenetics and individual differences in language learning: the dopamine hypothesis. Cortex 48(9):1091-10
Software
Course groups and languages
The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE
| Type of teaching | Group | Language | Semester | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | afternoon |