Modulo II - Neuropsychopharmacology
Lectures (5.5 CFU, 44 hours)
- Introduction to Neuropsychopharmacology. Cellular and Molecular Foundations of Neuropsychopharmacology
- Methods in behavioral pharmacology and neuropharmacology
- Neurodegeneration: Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease (neurobiological bases, experimental models, and pharmacological treatment)
- Pain (neurobiological bases, experimental models, and pharmacological treatment)
- General anesthetics
- Seizure-related disorders (neurobiological bases, experimental models, and pharmacological treatment)
- Psychosis (neurobiological bases, experimental models, and pharmacological treatment)
- Mood disorders (neurobiological bases, experimental models, and pharmacological treatment)
-Anxiety disorders (neurobiological bases, experimental models and pharmacological treatment)
- Compulsivity and impulsivity: obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction
Practical activities (0,5 CFU, 6 hours of laboratory)
Students will be trained to prepare two of the most used samples in brain studies, i.e. brain sections and synaptosome preparations. Specifically, in the first experience, students will learn how to prepare frozen brain section slides at the cryostat. In the second experience they will learn how to prepare an enriched sample of synaptic particles (synaptosome)
Stephen M. Stahl, “Stahl’s Essential Psychopharmacology” 4th edition, Cambridge University Press
Jerold Meyer, Linda Quenzer “Psychopharmacology” 2nd edition, Sinauer
Nestler, Hyman, Holtzman, Malenka. Molecular Neuropharmacology. A foundation for clinical neuroscience. 3rd edition, McGraw Hill Education
Slide presentations used during lectures will be available on the e-learning website
The course consists of lectures that will be held with the aid of slide presentations and practical activities. Moreover, journal club talks will be organized. To prepare these talks, students will work in pair and should present to the other students a recently published journal article on one of the topics covered during the lessons. This activity will help students improve their presentation skills and develop critical analysis of literature
Contact information: tiziana.rubino@uninsubria.it
The teacher receives students by appointment requested by email or before/after class (while teaching module is ongoing)