Neuropsychology of learning

Abstract

The relation between the function of the nervous system and the human behavior are the object of study of neuropsychology which has the purpose of relating the cognitive psychology to neuroscience, revealing the physiopathology of the disturbance and facing the treatment strategy rationally. Learning is defined as a change in the behavior as a result of practice or previous experience. It can also be seen as a change in the behavior made possible for the plasticity of neural cognitive processes. Because learning is constituted by neural processes is necessary to consider neuropsychology as a tool of study to understand these processes. Alterations in neural processes that control learning are called learning disturbances. These learning disturbances cause a considerable damage to the social future of the child considering that they disturb the pedagogical behavior expected in accord with the normal intelligence. Such disturbances can be shown as motor or psychomotor difficulties, as well as attention, memorization and understanding difficulties. Understanding the intellectual functioning of the child, the learning process, as well as its disturbances, the neuropsychology can qualify professionals such as doctors, psychologists, therapists of language and psychopedagogues, to make possible a more effective therapeutical intervention.