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 applyDownloads
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:
- 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;
- Understand the principles of pharmacogenetics, and can apply these principles to explain the response to psychoactive drugs in clinical case studies;
- Have a basic understanding of the underlying neurobiology of anxiety, depression, ADHD, addiction and cognition;
- 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;
- 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.