Epilepsy, Seizure And Sleep Disorders And Clinical Neuropsychology MED5133

  • Academic Session: 2023-24
  • School: School of Health and Wellbeing
  • Credits: 10
  • Level: Level 5 (SCQF level 11)
  • Typically Offered: Semester 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: No

Short Description

This course will enable participants to acquire advanced knowledge of epilepsy, seizure and sleep disorders relevant to practice in clinical neuropsychology. Sessions will cover the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, and non-epileptic seizure, including the use of neurophysiological assessment techniques. Participants will acquire an understanding of common cognitive impairments in epilepsy and the contribution of neuropsychologists to preparing people for epilepsy surgery.

In addition participants will develop knowledge of the neuroscience of sleep, common sleep disorders and their impact on cognition, evidence-based treatments for sleep disorder and the prevalence and nature of sleep disorders in people after brain injury.

Timetable

Three consecutive days as a part of a two-week teaching block in Clinical Neuropsychology in January.

Requirements of Entry

A professional qualification in a relevant healthcare profession (e.g. Clinical Psychology, Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy, Physiotherapy).

Excluded Courses

N/A

Co-requisites

N/A

Assessment

This course is examined as part of two exam.

Main Assessment In: April/May

Course Aims

To develop advanced knowledge of epilepsy, seizure and sleep disorders relevant to practice in clinical neuropsychology. To understand the processes of assessment, diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy, and non-epileptic seizure, including the use of neurophysiological assessment techniques. Participants will acquire an understanding of common cognitive impairments in epilepsy and the contribution of neuropsychologists to preparing people for epilepsy surgery.

In addition participants will develop knowledge of the neuroscience of sleep, common sleep disorders and their impact on cognition, evidence-based treatments for sleep disorder and the prevalence and nature of sleep disorders in people after brain injury.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

To be able to describe and critically appraise systems for the classification of seizures and seizure disorder and how epilepsy is diagnosed and treated

To be able to describe what electroencephalography is and how it is used in the diagnosis of epilepsy

To be able to describe what non-epileptic seizures are, how they are assessed and to critically appraise the literature in relation to treatment for non-epileptic seizure disorders

To demonstrate an understanding of the contribution that clinical neuropsychologists play in planning for epilepsy surgery.

To be able to describe the most common cognitive impairments associated with epilepsy

To demonstrate knowledge of the most common forms of sleep disorder and describe the range of methods that may be used in the assessment of sleep disorders

To critically appraise the literature in relation to evidence for treatment of sleep disorder.

Describe the neurocognitive consequences of sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnoea. 

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must pass the examination.