Psychopharmacology
Code: 102585 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2502443 Psychology | OT | 4 | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Marcos Pallarés i Añó
- Email:
- marc.pallares@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Teachers
- Marcos Pallarés i Añó
Prerequisites
It is important to have good knowledge about neuronal physiology and physiology of the central nervous system human
Objectives and Contextualisation
Psychopharmacology is part of Psychobiology.
It is an optional subject of 6 credits that will be taught in the fourth year.
It is part of the optional mentions Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology and in Adult Clinical Psychology.
The objectives of the subject are the knowledge of the basic neuropharmacology, the evaluation techniques of the preclinical and clinic psychopharmacology, main psychoactive drugs: therapeutic effects and side effects. Main consumed drugs: action mechanisms, addictive and neurotoxic potential, and treatments for addiction.
Competences
- Analyse scientific texts written in English.
- Distinguish between the design of research, procedures and techniques to evaluate hypotheses, contrast them and interpret the results.
- Identify and describe the processes and stages in psychological development through the life cycle.
- Identify, describe and relate the biology of human behaviour and psychological functions.
- Make systematic reviews of the different documentary sources in psychology to collect, order and classify research data and materials.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Use different ICTs for different purposes.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse scientific texts written in English.
- Analyse the sex- or gender-based inequalities and the gender biases present in one's own area of knowledge.
- Analyse, synthesize and summarise information from scientific and professional texts.
- Describe and relate the basic aspects of neuropharmacology.
- Describe hormonal changes throughout the life cycle.
- Describe how neurobiological changes throughout the life cycle affect the profile of psychotropic drugs.
- Handle scientific documentation systems.
- Identify and describe the main drugs, their effect on behaviour, neurobiological mechanisms for action and the main psychopharmacological treatments.
- Identify and describe the main psychopharmaceuticals used in the treatment of the main psychopathological disorders in the area of behaviour and action mechanisms.
- Identify and describe the procedures of preclinical and clinical evaluation of psychiatric drugs.
- Plan a literature search or references, both computerized databases and libraries and newspaper archives.
- Use different ICTs for different purposes.
Content
I: Basic Neuropharmacology.
II: Nicotine and methylxanthines.
III: Anxiolytics.
IV: Alcohol.
V: Antidepressants and antimanics.
VI: Psychostimulants: cocaine and smphetamines.
VII: Drugs that alter hunger.
VIII: Opiates.
IX: Antipsychotic drugs.
X: Cannabinoids and psychotomimetic drugs.
Methodology
Lectures with ICT support and debate in a large group.
Search for documentation on a topic, oral and / or written presentation and evaluation period.
Practical sessions. Basically through the use of computer simulations and case studies.
Introduction of sessions in seminars, presentation of the text, assessment and discussion.
Tutorials to support the execution of a project.
Comprehensive reading of texts.
Individual or group work on the set of available material of classes, texts, magazines, etc.
Drawing up diagrams, conceptual maps and summaries.
Recensions, bibliographic studies (individual or in group) from a guide for its realization.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Practices | 6 | 0.24 | 4, 10 |
| Seminars | 6 | 0.24 | 6, 5, 4 |
| Theoretical classes | 24 | 0.96 | 6, 9, 8 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Preparation of the subject | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 3, 6, 5, 4 |
| Preparation of work | 6 | 0.24 | 1, 9, 10, 8 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Search for documentation | 9 | 0.36 | 1, 7, 11, 12 |
| Study and reading texts | 75 | 3 | 1, 3 |
| Writing work | 15 | 0.6 | 3, 4 |
Assessment
There will be 2 face-to-face written exams. The exams will last 1.5 hours each, with a weight of 70% of the final grade. The first exam will take place in the middle of the semester, and the second, at the end, taking place during the respective assessment weeks scheduled in the Faculty of Psychology's calendar.
Group work will be done with a written and oral presentation in a power point conference format. The work (written + oral) will have a weight of 30% of the final grade. The oral presentation of the work will take place in the last weeks of the semester.
Passed subject:
The subject will be considered passed if the student has obtained, in the set of learning evidences, a total equal to or higher than 5 points.
Resit:
When, having completed the two written exams, the total points obtained in the continuous evaluation process do not reach 5 but are equal to or greater than 3.5, a written and face-to-face exam lasting two hours will be conducted. This exam will include the matter of the entire subject and passing it will provide the student with a final grade of 5.
Evaluable student:
An evaluable student is one who has completed evidence of learning with a weight equal to or greater than 4 points (40%), therefore, one who has completed one of the two written exams and the group work; failure to complete group work means that the student resigns 30% of the grade.
|
TABLE OF UNIQUE EVALUATION ACTIVITIES |
|||
|
Name and description of the evidence |
Weight |
Duration in hours (of the face-to-face event) |
Completion/delivery date |
|
Written exam (EV1) |
35% |
3,5 hours (1,5 EV1+1,5 EV2+0,5 EV3-oral presentation and debate) |
Second period of evaluation |
|
Written exam (EV2) |
35% |
||
|
Written work and oral presentation oral (EV3) |
30% |
||
Synthesis Test
No unique final no-recoverable synthesis test for students who enroll for the second time (or more) is anticipated.
Evaluation Guidelines Faculty of Psychology: https://www.uab.cat/web/estudiar/graus/graus/avaluacions-1345722525858.html
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exam 1 | 3,5 | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 3, 6, 5, 4, 7, 9, 10, 8, 11, 12 |
| Exam 2 | 3,5 | 1.5 | 0.06 | 1, 3, 6, 5, 4, 7, 9, 10, 8, 11, 12 |
| Presentation of a work | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2, 1, 3, 7, 11, 12 |
Bibliography
Specific bibliography will be given in each topic. More generally, the following can be consulted:
COLADO M, FARRÉ M, LEZA J, LIZASOAIN I. (Eds.) Drogodependencias. Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana (4a edición), 2023
FERNÁNDEZ-TERUEL A. Farmacología de la conducta: De los psicofármacos a las terapias psicológicas. Bellaterra: Servei de Publicacions UAB, 2008
GOLDBERG J, STAHL S. Psicofarmacología práctica: Trasladando los hallazgos de los estudios basados en la evidencia a la práctica clínica del mundo real. Madrid: Editorial Aula Médica (1a edición), 2023
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DRUG ABUSE (NIDA): Publications about addictive drugs (2023) in https://nida.nih.gov/es/informacion-sobre-drogas/publicaciones
SALAZAR M, PERALTA C, PASTOR FJ. (Eds.)Tratado de Psicofarmacología: Bases y aplicación clínica. Madrid: Editorial Médica Panamericana (2a edición), 2010
SCHATZBERG AF, NEMEROFF CB. (Eds.) Tratado de Psicofarmacología. Barcelona: Masson (3a edición), 2006
STAHL, S.M. Psicofarmacologia esencial de Stahl: Bases neurocientíficas y aplicaciones prácticas. Madrid: Editorial Aula médica (5a edición), 2023
Software
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