Body and Brain

Eigenaar	Bachelor Psychobiologie
Coördinator	dr. J.D. Mul
Onderdeel van	Bachelor Psychobiologie, jaar 3
Links	Zichtbare leerlijnen

Studiewijzer 2025/2026

Globale inhoud

In this course you will get up-to-date insight into fundamental aspects of organ-brain communication in relation to stress-related behavior, in humans and other species, with a focus on theory, experimental approaches and interpretation of data.

During guest lectures from national and international experts we will focus on three organs (i.e. white adipose tissue , muscle, and intestine) that play an important role in organ-brain communication. During the course, you will learn how these organs communicate with the brain to modulate physiology and stress-related behavior. Miscommunication, however, can result in stress-related disorders, which are, unfortunately, currently very prevalent in Dutch society. Some of the discussed topics, for example the role of the gut microbiome in brain function, have seen rapid developments in the recent years. As such, students will be introduced to highly relevant and state-of-the-art experimental methods and techniques relevant for the dissection of organ-brain communication in (behavioral) neuroscience. We will critically examine current evidence to determine the role of the white adipose tissue (e.g. during obesity), muscle (e.g. during physical exercise training), and the intestine (e.g. the role of the microbiome) in organ-brain communication in the context of stress-related pathophysiology.

During the course, students will write an essay in which they will use their newly-acquired knowledge on these topics to propose a novel and multidisciplinary intervention (with exercise training as a core component) to decrease the prevalence of stress-related disorders in Dutch Society (with a focus on student mental health) by addressing important questions how body and brain interact to impact mental health and stress sensitivity. In addition to this theoretical aspect of the course, students will also experience a full research cycle (design, perform, analyze, and present your findings) using data collected with wrist-worn accelerometers and stress-related questionnaires during the current course as well as from previous courses. 

Studiemateriaal

Literatuur

• Articles provided by guest lecturers

Practicummateriaal

• AX3 accelerometers (provided by teachers to subset of students)

Overig

• Video material provided by guest lecturers

Leerdoelen

• The student can explain (important) molecular and cellular substrates that underlie (continuous) communication of adipose tissue, muscle, and gut (including microbiome) with each other and with the brain.
• The student can describe how the substrates of organ-brain communication are causally and reciprocally linked to behavior, and how miscommunication can result in disease.
• The student can critically analyze experiments in the field of organ-brain communication.
• The student can value the importance of translational research for human health and disease treatment.
• The student can give, receive and process constructive feedback on scientific reports (e.g. research proposal, empirical cycle report).
• The student can work together with a group of peers in a constructive manner.
• The student can critically select, interpret and use scientific literature related to organ-brain communication (theories).
• The student can apply all phases of the scientific method; is able to design, conduct, analyze and evaluate scientific research.
• The student is able to communicate in writing about (self-conducted) research in scientific English.
• The student is able to communicate the scientific rationale for a self-designed intervention to peers in presentation form

Onderwijsvormen

• Hoorcollege
• Werkcollege
• Zelfstudie
• Zelfstandig werken aan bijv. project/scriptie
• Begeleiding/feedbackmoment
• Presentatie/symposium
• Laptopcollege
• Veldwerk/excursie

Lectures (hoorcolleges) and Zoom lectures (laptopcolleges) will contribute to Body and Brain learning goals 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Seminars (werkcolleges) will contribute to Body and Brain learning goals 6, 8, and 9.

Fieldwork will contribute to Body and Brain learning goal 8.

Pitch presentation symposia will contribute to Body and Brain learning goal 10.

Selfstudy will contribute to Body and Brain learning goals 3, 7, and 8.

Individual working on project will contribute to Body and Brain learning goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and 9. 

Supervision/feedback will contribute to Body and Brain learning goals 5, 6 and 9.

Verdeling leeractiviteiten

Aanwezigheid

Voor sommige studieonderdelen geldt een aanwezigheidsplicht. Indien er een aanwezigheidsplicht geldt, dan staat dit aangegeven in de studiegids die te raadplegen is via de UvA-website. De onderbouwing voor, en invulling van, deze aanwezigheidsplicht kan per vak verschillen, en is indien van toepassing opgenomen in deze studiewijzer.

Aanvullende eisen voor dit vak:

Absence during any of the planned activities needs to be communicated to the course coordinator.

One of the lectures (hoorcolleges) can be missed when not communicated in advance to the course coordinator.

Two of the 'Discuss AX3 project with teachers' seminars can be missed when not communicated in advance to the course coordinator.

Toetsing

Onderdeel en weging	Details
Eindcijfer
0.4 (40%) Essay about intervention	Moet ≥ 5.5 zijn
0.1 (10%) Reflection Report
0.1 (10%) Perusall assignments
0.3 (30%) Research Report
0.1 (10%) Intervention Pitch Presentation

Missing the Essay deadline will automatically result in a 1.0 grade.

If a student receives a 5.5 grade or lower for the Essay assignment, the student will have 10 additional work days, starting the  first work day after the grade is announced, and the maximal new grade that can be acquired is a 6.0. 

Inzage toetsing

Feedback, predominantly via Rubrics, will be provided for the Essay, Reflection report, Research report, and Presentation. 

Opdrachten

Perusall assignments lectures (individual; graded) 

You will use Perusall software, which is a social annotation platform, to annotate articles provided by guest lecturers for their lectures (3-4x total). Your effort will be graded by the Perusall software. 

Critical questions assignments for guest lecturers (group; all or nothing grade)

Together with a small team of students, and based on provided articles or other material (e.g. video), you will generate one question per indicated guest lecturer (3x total). Timely submission of all three questions will generate a half point (i.e. 5%) towards your final grade. Failure to submit one or more questions in time will not generate a half point towards your final grade.

Reflection report (personal; graded)

You will generate a teamwork reflection report consisting of a teamcharter, reflection of the teamwork based on a rubric, feedback from your team members and an individual reflection on the given feedback. The teachers will also grade your academic attitude.

AX3 research project report and presentation (group; graded)

Together with a small team of students, you will also experience a full research cycle (design, perform, analyze, and present your findings) using data collected with wrist-worn accelerometers and stress-related questionnaires. Background, Material and Methods, Results, and Conclusion(s) will be reported in a AX3 research project report. Feedback will be provided by peers and teachers during course and by teachers after final assessment. 

Essay (individual; graded)

You will write a research-focused essay to propose an intervention to decrease stress-related disorders in the Dutch Student population. The proposed intervention has exercise (training) as a core component and integrates newly-acquired insight into fundamental aspects of organ-brain communication in humans and other species (lectures, selfstudy) and state-of-the-art experimental methods and techniques. Question hour events will be used for feedback during writing and feedback can be provided after final assessment. Students will pitch their proposed interventions during a Pitch presentation sessions to peers and UvA staff. The best four pitches will be selected to present to UvA and USC staff.

Fraude en plagiaat

Dit vak hanteert de algemene 'Fraude- en plagiaatregeling' van de UvA. Hier wordt nauwkeurig op gecontroleerd. Bij verdenking van fraude of plagiaat wordt de examencommissie van de opleiding ingeschakeld. Zie de Fraude- en plagiaatregeling van de UvA: http://student.uva.nl

Weekplanning

Eindtermen

Deze cursus draagt bij aan de volgende eindtermen van de opleiding Psychobiologie:

1) Kennis en Inzicht

De afgestudeerde

• 1d) kan uitleggen welke onderzoekstechnieken nodig zijn voor het ontwikkelen van kennis en dat kennis nodig is voor het ontwikkelen van onderzoekstechnieken.
• 1e) kan de kennis opgedaan bij een zelfgekozen vak uitleggen.
• 1h) kan uitleggen wat de bijdragen en beperkingen zijn van de kennis op elk niveau - van molecuul tot de menselijke geest - aan het wetenschapsgebied Psychobiologie.
• 1i) kan op alle niveaus de werking van het brein van dieren en mensen vergelijken.
• 1j) kan onderbouwen hoe de pathofysiologie bijdraagt aan het begrip van de ontwikkeling en werking van het brein op alle niveaus.
• 1k) kan grensverleggende ontwikkelingen in het wetenschapsgebied Psychobiologie herkennen.
• 1l) kan uitleggen dat een standpunt wordt beïnvloed door context.

2) Toepassen Kennis en Inzicht

De afgestudeerde

• 2a) kan onderbouwen welke onderzoekstechnieken nodig zijn om onderzoeksvragen binnen het wetenschapsgebied Psychobiologie te beantwoorden.
• 2c) kan de empirische cyclus zelfstandig doorlopen bij het uitvoeren van een onderzoek.
• 2d) kan op een wetenschappelijke manier lopende experimenten documenteren.
• 2h) kan ruwe data interpreteren en een geschikte (kwantitatieve) analysemethode toepassen.
• 2j) kan redeneren en argumenteren en meerdere standpunten benoemen en onderbouwen.

3) Oordeelsvorming

De afgestudeerde

• 3a) kan relevante literatuur verzamelen, verwerken en interpreteren.
• 3b) kan de implicaties van onderzoeksresultaten voor de maatschappij overzien.
• 3c) kan onderzoeksresultaten binnen de Psychobiologie en/of binnen een discipline- overstijgende context interpreteren.
• 3d) kan de ethische aspecten van beroepsmatige omgang met levende organismen en weefsel overwegen.
• 3e) kan informatie analyseren aan de hand van kwaliteitscriteria en er een eigen oordeel over vormen.
• 3f) kan alternatieven en tegenargumenten overwegen bij het vormen of herzien van een oordeel.

4) Communicatie

De afgestudeerde

• 4a) kan kennis, bevindingen in wetenschappelijk Nederlands en Engels schriftelijk rapporteren en mondeling presenteren.
• 4b) kan een bijdrage leveren aan wetenschappelijke discussies.
• 4c) kan op basis van begrip en respect communiceren.
• 4d) kan onderzoeksgegevens communiceren volgens de regels van wetenschappelijke integriteit.
• 4e) kan een standpunt overbrengen.

5) Leervaardigheden

De afgestudeerde

• 5a) kan een zelfstandige en wetenschappelijke werkwijze en houding ontwikkelen.
• 5b) kan zich zelfstandig kennis eigen maken.
• 5c) kan nieuwe kennis integreren met aanwezige kennis en tot inzichten komen.
• 5d) kan een constructieve en synergetische manier van samenwerken ontwikkelen.
• 5e) kan zich in een zelfgekozen deelgebied verdiepen of verbreden.
• 5g) kan feedback geven en verwerken.
• 5i) kan reflecteren op eigen gedrag en dit gedrag desgewenst verbeteren.

Aanvullende informatie

Feedback students previous editions:

Based on student feedback regarding Body and Brain during the previous academic years, we have made several improvements to the course. For example, more statistics seminars will help this year on multiple occasions with decisions related to statistical analysis. The duration of these occasions have also been lengthened. Also, lectures regarding topics for the essay have been concentrated to the first two weeks to concentrate information flow for the essay writing process. 

Contactinformatie

Coördinator

• dr. J.D. Mul

Docenten

• Anneke Vuuregge
• Jonas van Nijnatten

Docenten

• prof. dr. S.E. la Fleur
• Kasia Lasek
• Jonas van Nijnatten MSc
• drs. Anneke Vuuregge MSc