Movement Neuroscience: Motor Control, Cognition & Learning
Course content
This course examines the neurobiological and cognitive processes underlying human movement. It fosters both a mechanistic and integrative understanding of the neural basis of motor control, while emphasizing the role of higher-order cognitive functions in shaping motor performance and skill acquisition. As such, the course aims to promote a detailed understanding from basic mechanisms to functional abilities and performance in real life.
The course also focuses on effects of training i.e. skill and coordination training, strength training and cardiovascular training on motor performance, cognitive functions and brain health across the lifespan. This is relevant whether to optimize performance in sports to regain functional abilities after an injury, which may also be accompanied by inactivity or to prevention.
Designing training protocols with the aim of optimizing human motor functions to promote performance in sports or to promote functional abilities through rehabilitation training will also be addressed.
Key themes include brain plasticity as a driver of learning, dynamics of brain networks in cognitive control and attention, interactions between brain mechanisms, cognitive and motor performance and the beneficial effects of exercise for both the healthy and the injured brain and body. Students are introduced to diverse methodological approaches through research-based cases, examples, and practical demonstrations.
MSc Programme in Human Physiology
MSc Programme in Human Physiology with a minor subject
Knowledge
Upon completion of the course, the student will have knowledge of:
- The bidirectional influences between cognitive and motor abilities and the neural networks that mediate these interactions
- Factors influencing motor and cognitive performance and their relationship to functional abilities
- The physiological and functional effects of motor practice, skill learning, and inactivity, and the underlying mechanisms.
- The effects of physical activity across the lifespan, as well as the influence of life-style factors on motor and cognitive functions.
- The health-promoting, performance enhancing and rehabilitative effects of strength training, cardiovascular training, and skill learning.
- Mechanisms of brain–body dynamic coupling and their impact on cognitive function and well-being in both healthy and clinical populations
Skills
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Design, carry out and critically evaluate experimental studies in movement neuroscience, and be able to discuss these in relation to the existing knowledge (including selecting and discussing relevant theoretical and empirical literature).
- Identify and argue for health-promoting effects of physical activity in different populations, linking these effects to mechanisms of movement neuroscience.
- Perform basic laboratory-based and functional tests relevant to motor control and training.
Competence
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Analyze, present, and critically discuss scientific problems, research methods, and empirical studies in the context of relevant literature and theoretical frameworks.
- Discuss determinants of motor skill, performance and training-induced changes including age, type of training, cognitive–motor interactions and task-specific versus general effects, with attention to causality.
- Discuss the choice of test and training methods in relation to specific target groups and functional transfer of training-induced adaptations
- Demonstrate research-based understanding of the physiological mechanisms underlying the health-promoting effects of physical activity and their relevance for motor and cognitive function.
- Relate course content to societal impact and potential implications for individual health, function, and rehabilitation.
The course will include lectures and experimental demonstrations incl. data processing as well as student presentations, group work and work with peer feedback.
Original scientific literature supplemented by review articles and/or textbook chapters. The course literature will be announced at study start on the course’s Absalon page.
B.Sc. degree in Sports Science, Physiology or another relevant
bachelor's degree. Additionally, it is recommended to have
completed the course Human Physiology.
The course requires professional competence equivalent to a
completed BA degree.
Throughout the course, feedback from the lecturers is included in relation to the presentation and discussion of articles, analyses, and discussion of empirical evidence. The students receive oral feedback on their presentations as well as feedback on their written work during the course. Both peer feedback and feedback from the lecturers is used here.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Oral exam on basis of previous submission, 20 min
- Type of assessment details
- As basis of the 20 min individual oral exam, each student writes a brief exam assignment, consisting of a research case within the topics of the course. The handed in assignment must consist of a maximum of 4 standard pages (2400 characters per page including spaces). The 4 pages do not include the front page, table of contents and reference list. Content that exceeds the 4 pages will not be assessed. It is mandatory to hand in the assignment one week prior to the oral exam.
- Aid
- Only certain aids allowed (see description below)
Written assignment: All aids allowed
Oral exam: The written assignment
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Several internal examiners
- Re-exam
-
Identical to ordinary exam. The written assignment must be handed in two weeks prior to the re-exam.
Criteria for exam assessment
Please see ”Learning Outcome”
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 40
- Preparation
- 104
- Exercises
- 10
- Study Groups
- 10
- Exam Preparation
- 39
- Exam
- 1
- English
- 204
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NNEK26000U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 3
- Schedulegroup
-
A
- Capacity
- No limitation.
Unless you register in the late-registration period (BSc and MSc) or as a credit or single subject student - Studyboard
- Study Board of Food, Human Nutrition and Sports
Contracting department
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinators
- Jesper Lundbye-Jensen (8-72747d766c6a816d48766d807b36737d366c73)
- Anke Ninija Karabanov (4-65726f694472697c77326f7932686f)
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Kursusinformation for indskrevne studerende