DRUGS AND THE ADDICTIVE PROCESS

PHC 6500

WINTER 2001 • SECTION # 73378 • 3 CREDITS

TUESDAYS, 5-8 P.M.

6364 Scott Hall and Jefferson Avenue Research Clinic, 2761 East Jefferson Avenue

DRUGS AND THE ADDICTIVE PROCESS • PHC 6500, is an essential graduate course for future health and human service providers, educators, and researchers who anticipate working with alcohol and other drug issues in their profession.The course includes a review of nervous system structure and function, basic principles of drug action, effects of therapeutic and abused drugs on the brain and human behavior, how chemical dependency develops, and how abused drugs manifest their acute and chronic effects.

FACULTY:Eugene P. Schoener, Ph.D.

Professor of Pharmacology, Psychiatry, and Community Medicine

Director, Addiction Research Institute

Offices: 2761 East Jefferson Ave., 6th Floor Scott Hall, 9D UHC

Phone: 993-1364, 577-1388, 577-1570,email: eschoen@med.wayne.edu

SCHEDULE


 
DATE

LECTURE
January 9
Introduction to the Course;Structure and Function of the Nervous System
January 16
Foundations of Neurophysiology and Neuropharmacology
January 23
Basic Principles of Drug Action:Pharmacodynamics
January 30
Basic Principles of Drug Action:Pharmacodynamics & Pharmacokinetics
February 6
Basic Principles of Drug Action:Pharmacokinetics
February 13
Psychotherapeutic Agents: Mechanisms and Applications
February 20
Models of Addiction:Biopsychosocial etiology and neurobiological basis
February 27
Drugs of Abuse:an Overview
March 6
MIDTERM EXAM
March 13
SPRING RECESS
March 20
Alcohol, Sedative-Hypnotics and Inhalants
March 27
Cocaine, Amphetamines and Other Stimulants
April 3
Heroin, Hydromorphone, Methadone and Other Opioids
April 10
Hallucinogens, Phencyclidine, and Marijuana
April 17
Steroids, Nicotine, and Caffeine
April 24
Special Issues: Drug Testing, Needle Exchange

FINAL EXAM

REQUIRED TEXT:

• A Primer of Drug Action, 8th Edition, by R.M. Julien, W.H. Freeman & Co., N.Y., 1998.

RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

• Essentials of Neural Science and Behavior, Kandel, Schwartz and Jessell

• Essential Psychopharmacology, Stahl

• The Biochemical Basis of Neuropharmacology, 7th Edition, by Cooper, Bloom and Roth

• Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 7th Edition, by B.G. Katzung

• A Handbook on Drug and Alcohol Abuse: The Biomedical Aspects, 3rd 

Edition, by Winger, Hoffman & Woods

COURSE EVALUATION:

Course Grades will be based on the Midterm and Final Examination grades, evaluation of written projects, class presentations and level of participation in class discussion as follows:

•Midterm Examination25%

•Final Examination40%

•Projects25%

•Participation10%

Both examinations will be comprised of short answer, fill-in, and brief essay type questions.They will be written as take-home exams and due on the date indicated; the Final exam will be cumulative. The expectation is that that these papers will be as comprehensive as necessary, cogent, and concise as possible. Projects will consist of individual and small group efforts leading to written reports that will be presented orally in class. Students with advanced standing (biomedical training) will be required to prepare a journal article (original research) for class presentation and discussion. While formal reading assignments will be made occasionally, students are expected to have read the appropriate chapters in the required text and additional material as necessary before each session.Class participation will be judged on the basis of questions and comments about the subject under discussion.