Psychopharmacology [EL029]

Course highlights

EC points

1.4

Months

March

Course days

Monday to Friday

Faculty

Reinoud de Jongh, PhD and others

Course fee

€ 910

Location

Erasmus MC, Rotterdam NL

Level

Intermediate

Prerequisites

An introductory level knowledge of the functioning of the human brain (basic knowledge and understanding of brain anatomy and the action of neurotransmitters).

Disciplines

  • Medical Psychology

Application

How to apply

Detailed information about this course:

Description

This course is cancelled. We hope to offer it again in the Spring of 2024.

Medical psychology is all about the interaction between mind and body: how do physical complaints affect our psychological functioning? But also: how does our psychological functioning affect us physically? When dealing with this interaction in a clinical setting, drug treatments often play an important role. Patients receiving drug treatment for psychiatric disorders frequently suffer physical side-effects, and drugs prescribed for somatic disorders can influence our mental state.

Therefore, medical psychologists need to know which drugs are prescribed for common psychiatric and somatic disorders, and need to have a basic understanding of how these (psychoactive) drugs work, how and why they invariably lead to side-effects, and how these side-effect affect compliance. We will look at drug treatment for psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, but also at drugs like corticosteroids – used in the treatment of somatic conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease – which have been found to increase the risk of suicidal behavior and neuropsychiatric disorders (i.e. depression, panic and manic episodes).

Objectives

At the end of this course, students:

  1. Understand the four processes that encompass the pharmacokinetics of a drug (ADME), and can apply these principles to explain the response to (psychoactive) drugs in clinical case studies;
  2. Understand the principles of pharmacogenetics, and can apply these principles to explain the response to psychoactive drugs in clinical case studies;
  3. Have a basic understanding of the underlying neurobiology of anxiety, depression, ADHD, addiction and cognition;
  4. Have a basic understanding of how psychoactive drugs work, how and why drugs invariably lead to side-effects, and how these side-effects affect compliance;
  5. Are able to analyze a clinical case study, find and critically evaluate relevant scientific studies, and recommend an evidence-based plan for pharmacotherapeutic treatment.

Participant profile

PhD-students working in (or interested in) medical psychology, who are relatively new to the field of psychopharmacology.

Assessment

Assignment(s), Attendance


Reduction on fees

PLEASE NOTE: This does not apply to the fee of the research master programmes (120 EC points)

No fees are charged for  Erasmus MC PhD candidates, provided they have an account in Hora Finita, the Erasmus University PhD registration system.

In case of cancellation or no show, the cancellation policy applies based on the full course fee.

 

25% reduction for all (international) PhD candidates without formal appointment at Erasmus MC

Upon receipt of your application you will receive a request to upload proof of enrollment as a PhD candidate.