Neuropharmacology

Course content

This course will cover the neurobiology and pharmacological treatment of major psychiatric disorders, disorders of sleep and chronic pain. For each disorder, students will learn about the neurotransmitters, receptors, and neurotransmitter interactions involved, as well as different hypotheses linking dysfunctional neural circuits to clinical symptoms.

Based on this, the course will focus on the pharmacological profiles of drugs targeting each disorder, specifically discussing how the diverse pharmacological actions couple to therapeutic efficacies and adverse side effects. In this regard, comorbidities, pharmacodynamic and -kinetic interactions with other pharmacotherapeutics, and individual life style differences, will also be adressed to discuss issues of contraindications.

For each disorder, current and potential future therapeutic principles and novel pharmacological targets will be discussed. In this regard, the challenges of drug discovery and development will be addressed, including the choice of animal models to predict clinical efficacy and side effects.

Education

MSc Programme in Pharmacy (Danish programme cand.pharm) - elective

MSc Programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Danish programme cand.scient.pharm ) - restricted elective

MSc Programme in Medicinal Chemistry - elective

MSc Programme in Pharmaceutical Sciences (English programme) - restricted elective

MSc Programme in Molecular Biomedicine (SCIENCE) - restricted elective

Learning outcome

At the end of this course, students are expected to be able to: 

Knowledge 

  • describe the structure and function of the brain, with emphasis on brain regions, neurotransmitters systems and their interactions.
  • describe the different types of psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic pain states, including symptoms, the neurotransmitter systems involved, and pharmacological treatments, as well as knowledge about common animal models used in the research on the different types of psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic pain states.

 

Skills

  • discuss differences and similarities between the disorders covered and how this pertains to the possible pharmacological treatment approaches
  • critically evaluate pros and cons of both current and future possible  pharmacotherapeutic strategies based on an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of action of conventional treatments for the disorders covered in this course. 

 

Competences

  • combine elements of their understanding to form ideas of new treatment strategies using available drugs.
  • combine elements of their understanding with other competences (obtained from e.g. other courses or from work experience) to explore novel pharmacological targets/treatment options.
  • reflect on principles for the quantification and assessment of the role of different pharmacological targets in treatment outcome

Lectures, discussions and interactive learning tools (Mentimeter, Socrative, Kahoot, etc.).

Stahl’s “Essential Psychopharmacology”, most recent edition.

Selected scientific articles (original investigations and review articles) available at the course web page.

If you are applying for the course as a credit transfer student, you must have passed the first five semesters of the BSc Programme in Pharmacy or have acquired similar competencies from other courses. Documentation for corresponding competencies in the form of a course descriptions and an exam result must be attached to your application.

ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30 min
Type of assessment details
You will be given a main question that you can reflect on for 1-2 min if necessary. This question will be the center of discussion for a little more than half of the examination time (~10-15 min). The rest of the examination will be in the form of 4 minor questions pertaining to other topics within the course content.
Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Criteria for exam assessment

To achieve the grade 12 the student must be able to:

Knowledge 

  • describe the structure and function of the brain, with emphasis on brain regions, neurotransmitters systems and their interactions.
  • describe the different types of psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic pain states, including symptoms, the neurotransmitter systems involved, and pharmacological treatments, as well as knowledge about common animal models used in the research on the different types of psychiatric disorders, sleep disorders, and chronic pain states.

 

Skills

  • discuss the pros and cons of different pharmacological treatment approaches
  • critically evaluate pros and cons of both current and novel pharmacotherapeutic strategies based on an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of action of conventional treatments for the disorders covered in this course.

 

Competences

  • combine elements of their understanding to form ideas of new treatment strategies using available drugs.
  • combine elements of their understanding with other competences (obtained from e.g. other courses or from work experience) to explore novel pharmacological targets/treatment options.
  • reflect on principles for the quantification and assessment of the role of different pharmacological targets in treatment outcome

 

 

Single subject courses (day)

  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 66
  • Preparation
  • 100
  • Exam Preparation
  • 39
  • Exam
  • 1
  • English
  • 206

Kursusinformation

Language
English
Course number
SFKKIL004U
ECTS
7,5 ECTS
Programme level
Full Degree Master
Duration

1 block

Placement
Block 4
Schedulegroup
C
Capacity
103 students - 70 seats reserved for bachelor students and 3 seat reserved for an international master student.
Studyboard
Study Board of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Contracting department
  • Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology
Contracting faculty
  • Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinator
  • Jesper Andreasen T.   (3-707a6746797b746a34717b346a71)
Teacher

Jesper T Andreasen (schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, ADHD, addiction)
Kristi Anne Kohlmeier (disorders of sleep and wakefulness)
Anne-Marie Heegaard (chronic pain)

Saved on the 27-03-2023

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