Cognition in the Little Brain
Darlene Floden, PhD
&
Social Cognition: From Neuroscientific Foundations to Neuropsychological Practice
Miriam Beauchamp, PhD
Morning Session: 9 AM - 12 PM
Cognition in the Little Brain
Staff Neuropsychologist
Center for Neurological Restoration and the Cerebrovascular Center
Cleveland Clinic
The cerebellum is no longer viewed as ‘just a motor structure.’ We are learning more about the nuanced contributions that the cerebellum makes to cognition. The goal of this workshop is to bring clinicians up to date on the field of cerebellar cognition. We will examine the anatomy and connectivity of the cerebellum to understand the basis for its involvement in cognition. We will review new and pivotal findings from the cognitive neuroscience literature that help to elucidate specific aspects of cerebellar function and consider proposed theoretical frameworks that may be useful to conceptualize the cerebellum’s role in behavior. We then turn to how theoretical frameworks map onto clinical manifestations of cerebellar damage or dysfunction using a series of illustrative case samples.
Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize how the anatomy of the cerebellum forms the basis for its role in cognition.
2. Review current evidence for cerebellar contributions to non-motor function.
3. Evaluate the fit between theoretical frameworks and neuropsychological assessment findings.
Dr. Floden is a Staff Neuropsychologist with expertise in the cognitive aspects of movement disorders, stroke, and other neurological conditions. She joined Cleveland Clinic in 2007 and holds joint appointments in the Center for Neurological Restoration and the Cerebrovascular Center. Her research interests include cognitive electrophysiology and the cognitive and behavioral effects of damage to the frontal lobes and subcortical structures. Dr. Floden completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Alberta in 1996. She received her PhD in Psychology from the University of Toronto in 2005, and completed the Neuropsychology Fellowship Program at Toronto Western Hospital in 2007.
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Afternoon Session: 1 PM - 4 PM
Social Cognition: From Neuroscientific Foundations to Neuropsychological Practice
Miriam Beauchamp
Canada Research Chair in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury
Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Montreal
Researcher, Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center, ABCs Lab
Université de Montréal
Neurodevelopmental, acquired, and psychiatric brain conditions can disrupt the delicate balance between the environmental, brain and cognitive processes that underlie social competence, and can leading to social impairments and maladaptive behaviours. It is therefore increasingly recognized that neuropsychologists play a critical role in assessing social cognition and identifying social problems within such conditions. The emergence of the ability to understand the perspective of others, engage in satisfying social interactions and gain social autonomy are key moments in human development. Empirical evidence from social neuroscience supports the idea that there is a "social brain" responsible for social-cognitive skills, such as affect recognition, theory of mind, empathy and moral reasoning. This workshop explores the theoretical, cognitive and neural foundations of social cognition and competence, and presents practical applications of this knowledge to clinical neuropsychological practice.
Learning Objectives
1. Define the main theoretical models of social development according to neuroscientific and neuropsychological perspectives.
2. Describe the components of social cognition and their emergence in childhood and adolescence.
3. Evaluate current approaches to social cognition assessment in a neuropsychological context and identify limitations and potential avenues for improving social assessment.
4. Provide examples of social manifestations in conditions that affect the brain.
Miriam Beauchamp, Ph.D. is Full Professor in developmental neuropsychology at the University of Montreal (Canada) where she leads the ABCs developmental neuropsychology laboratory (www.abcs.umontreal.ca). She is also a researcher at the Ste-Justine Hospital Research Center and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery at McGill University. Between 2006-2009 she completed CIHR-funded post-doctoral training at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute with Dr. Vicki Anderson. In 2009 she received a Career Development Award from the Quebec Health Research Funds (FRQS) for her research program in pediatric traumatic brain injury. She received the International Neuropsychological Society Early Career Award (2015) and the International Brain Injury Association Early Investigator Award (2019) in recognition of her work in the area of pediatric traumatic brain injury. She was also awarded the inaugural Prix du Québec – Relève scientifique in 2017. In 2019 she was inducted to the College.
Her clinical research program focuses on understanding the consequences of pediatric traumatic brain injury and concussion and her work at the crossroads of humanities and neuroscience seeks to improve social competence through the development of innovative social cognition assessment and intervention tools using technologies such as virtual reality, serious video games and digital health applications.
