Course Overview

This course provides students with the neurobiological basis of
psychiatric diseases so that they can understand the preclinical
pharmacology of psychotropic drugs, how to study them, how they work,
what their effects are at all levels (neurobiological, psychological
and behavioral), how clinicians use them.

Learning Achievement

Competence

Course prerequisites

- Students should possess a Bachelor degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent
diploma in biology, biochemistry, biomedical sciences, medical
studies, pharmacy, cognitive sciences or psychology. - A proven
interest and solid basic knowledge in the field of Neuroscience must
be provided by students with a Bachelor degree in another subject
(chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science). - Language
prerequisites: fluency in English.

Grading Philosophy

Course schedule

Competences: 

- Work in a transversal, multidisciplinary way and make an effective
literature search. 
- Critically review specialized bibliography. 
- To formulate appropriate questions and propose effective strategies
of investigations to Neurosciences issues.

Content includes:

- Pre-clinical pharmacology of psychotropic drugs: classification
and mechanism of action.  - Neural interactions and networks.  -
Psychostimulants  - Antidepressants: monoaminoxidase inhibitors,
tricyclics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, atypical
antidepressants.  - The endocannabinoids.  - Discriminatory and
reinforcing properties of drugs: main concepts and methods of study.
Behavioural pharmacology (mechanisms of action and brain targets,
appetite and aversive effects, effects on cognitive and emotional
processes, etc.) of psychostimulants, opiates, Ecstasy and Cannabis.
- Clinical pharmacology of psychotropic drugs: development of a drug
in humans; evaluation of therapeutic properties: expected effects,
side effects and complications of psychotropic drugs.

Course type

Lectures.

Online Course Requirement

Instructor

Other information

- Selection procedure: send application file with CV, all previous
transcripts and cover letter to the course coordinator - Selection
criteria: excellent grades and/or other study results, high
motivation, adequate prerequisites



Language of instruction: English
Mode of delivery: Face-to-face teaching

Site for Inquiry