Identifying Data 2022/23
Subject (*) Psychopharmacology Code 652438013
Study programme
Mestrado Universitario en Psicoloxía Aplicada
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Official Master's Degree 2nd four-month period
First Obligatory 3
Language
Spanish
Galician
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Psicoloxía
Coordinador
Laffon Lage, Blanca
E-mail
blanca.laffon@udc.es
Lecturers
Laffon Lage, Blanca
E-mail
blanca.laffon@udc.es
Web
General description Nesta materia se achegará ao estudante ás bases neurofisiolóxicas da psicofarmacoterapia, aos aspectos farmacocinéticos e farmacodinámicos subxacentes á actuación dos fármacos, e aos principais grupos de psicofármacos e a súa utilidade terapéutica.

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A2 To identify the personal, psycho-social and / or educative factors that may put human health at risk.
A3 Being able to elaborate a scientific report which involves defining a research problem, the hypotheses and variables, and defining the design, the sample and its method of selection, the tools for collecting data and their subsequent analysis and discussion.
A7 Knowing to track on a case by choosing appropriate and realistic objectives.
A12 To acquire a basic theoretical knowledge about the state of the art in the different areas involved in applied psychology.
A13 Knowing and being able to use the different models, theories, methods and assessment and intervention techniques that are specific of the different areas of research in Applied Psychology, and developing a critical attitude typical of the scientific spirit.
A16 To acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for the exposition and defence of a research paper.
B1 Capacity for analysis and synthesis.
B2 Capacity for organization and planning.
B3 Teamwork.
B5 Skills in interpersonal relations.
B6 Critical thinking.
B8 Autonomous learning.
B15 Ability to work with an interdisciplinary team.
B16 Ability to communicate with non-experts in the field.
C1 To express oneself, both orally and in writing, in the official languages of the autonomous region.
C3 Using the basic tools of information and communication technologies (ICT) necessary for the exercise of the profession and for lifelong learning.
C6 To critically assess the knowledge, technology and information available to solve the problems they face.
C7 To assume as professionals and citizens the importance of lifelong learning.
C8 Assessing the importance of research, innovation and technology development in the socio-economic and cultural progress of society.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
Learning the neurophysiological basis of psychodrugs action. AR12
Learning the features and main factors affecting each one of the pharmacokinetic processes. AR12
Learning the general action mechanisms of psychodrugs, the utility of the dose-response curves, and the factors involved in the interindividual variability to psychodrug response. AR2
AR12
Learning the main groups of psychodrugs, their action mechanisms and their clinical applications. AR2
AR7
AR12
Learning the stages in new psychodrug development. AR12
CC7
CC8
Skills to express in scientific language and comunicate in an effective manner. AR3
AR13
CC1
CC6
Working in group in a collaborative manner. BR2
BR3
BR5
BR6
BR8
BR15
CC3
Skills for speaking in public. AR16
BR1
BR2
BR16

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
I. Introduction 1. Neurophysiological bases of psychopharmacology: cell neurophysiology, interneuron communication, psychopharmacotherapy principles.
II. Pharmacology 2. Essential concepts in Pharmacology.

3. Pharmacokinetics: absorption, distribution, metabolization and excretion processes.

4. Pharmacodynamics: drug mechanisms of action, dose-response curves, pharmacologic response variability.
III. Psychodrugs 5. Psycholeptic drugs: hipnotic drugs, anxyolitic drugs, antipsychotic drugs.

6. Psychoanaleptic drugs: antidepressant drugs, mood stabilizers, psychostimulating drugs, nootropes.

7. Psychodysleptic drugs.
IV. Advances 8. Development of new psychodrugs.

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Guest lecture / keynote speech A2 A12 B6 B8 C6 C7 C8 16 28 44
Problem solving A2 A7 A13 B1 B6 B8 C3 C6 2 2 4
Supervised projects A3 A16 B1 B2 B3 B5 B15 C1 C3 C8 0 20 20
Seminar A16 B1 B3 B5 B6 B15 B16 C1 2 3 5
Mixed objective/subjective test A2 A12 B1 B6 C1 1 0 1
 
Personalized attention 1 0 1
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Guest lecture / keynote speech The teacher will introduce the programme contents with the aid of multimedia stuff. She will answer the questions raised by the students.
Problem solving Practical session dealing with solving problems related to different topics addressed in this subject.
Supervised projects Supervised projects carried out by groups of students about a topic proposed by the teacher. Personalized attention will be given in order to provide support and orientation on the contents to be included in each project. The files corresponding to each project and its presentation will be delivered through Moodle before the fixed deadline. Later, all projects will be available in Moodle.
Seminar Bibliographic seminar: students will present their projects. Then a debate on the topic of their presentation will be conducted.
Mixed objective/subjective test At the end of the programme, an exam consisting of short answer and/or test-type questionnaire will be conducted.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Supervised projects
Description
Part-time students: materials used in lectures, and any other useful material, will be available in Moodle. Deadlines for supervised projects and questionnaires will be the same than for regular students, and will be specified in Moodle.

Upon students' request, personalized attention will be given in order to provide support and orientation on the contents to be included in each project, to answer questions, and to help for developing specific, basic and transversal study programme competencies.

Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Guest lecture / keynote speech A2 A12 B6 B8 C6 C7 C8 Regular attendance and participation will be evaluated, only if the student pass the exam. 8.75
Seminar A16 B1 B3 B5 B6 B15 B16 C1 Attendance is mandatory to present the supervised project. For students with attendance exemption, the supervised project will be presented by MS Teams. 0
Supervised projects A3 A16 B1 B2 B3 B5 B15 C1 C3 C8 It is mandatory to carry out a supervised project in group (providing there are enough students). Marks obtained will be the same for all group members. It will be evaluated only if the students pass the exam. 40
Problem solving A2 A7 A13 B1 B6 B8 C3 C6 Attendance and participation will be evaluated, only if the student pass the exam. 1.25
Mixed objective/subjective test A2 A12 B1 B6 C1 Exam: short answer and/or test-type questionnaire. For tudents not attending the lectures and problem solving seminar due to attendance exemption, this exam will represent 60% of the total marks. It is mandatory to pass this exam for passing the whole subject. 50
 
Assessment comments

Rquirements to pass the subject: to deliver and present the supervised project, to obtain a minimum of 50% marks in the exam, and to obtain a minimum of 50% marks in the total subject.

Second oportunity evaluation: students must deliver and present a supervised project (in case they did not do it before) and conduct the exam.

The fraudulent performance of the tests or evaluation activities
will imply a failure grade '0' in the subject in the corresponding oportunity,
thus invalidating any grade obtained in all the evaluation activities for the
extraordinary oportunity.


Sources of information
Basic

Brunton, L.L.; Lazo, J.S.; Parker, K.L. (2007) Goodman & Gilman Las bases farmacológicas de la terapéutica. México D.F.: McGraw-Hill Interamericana.

Cabrera Bonet, R.; Mencías Rodríguez, E.; Cabrera Forneiro, J. (1993) Toxicología de los psicofármacos. Madrid: Mosby.

Flórez, J. (2001) Farmacología humana. Barcelona: Masson.

Gómez-Jarabo, G. (2007) Farmacología de la conducta. Manual básico para psicoterapeutas y clínicos. Madrid: Síntesis.

Janicak, P.G.; Davis, J.M.; Preskorn, S.H.; Ayd, F.J. Jr.; Marder, S.R.; Pavuluri, M.N. (2006) Principles and practice of psychopharmacotherapy, 4th edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

López Sáez, J.A. (2017) Los alucinógenos. Serie ¿Qué sabemos de? Madrid: CSIC-Catarata.

Pöldinger, W. (1984) Compendio de psicofarmacoterapia. Basilea: Roche.

Rahola, J.G. (2012) Lo que siempre quiso saber de los psicofármacos... y nunca se atrevió a preguntar. Madrid: Aulamédica.

Salazar, M.; Peralta, C.; Pastor, J. (2005) Tratado de psicofarmacología. Bases y aplicación clínica. Madrid: Panamericana.

Schaztberg, A.F.; Nemeroff, C.B. (2006) Tratado de psicofarmacología. Barcelona: Masson Elsevier.

Snyder, S.H. (1992) Drogas y cerebro. Barcelona: Prensa Científica.

Stahl, S.M. (2002) Psicofarmacología esencial. Bases neurocientíficas y aplicaciones clínicas. Barcelona: Ariel.

Zarranz, J.J. (2011) Neurofarmacología contemporánea. Barcelona: Elsevier.

Complementary

Bayés, R. (1977) Iniciación a la farmacología del comportamiento. Barcelona: Fontanella.

Bear, M.F.; Connors, B.W.; Paradiso, M.A. (1998) Neurociencia. Explorando el cerebro. Baltimor: Williams & Wilkins.

Bravo Ortiz, M.F. (2008) Psicofarmacología para psicólogos. Madrid: Síntesis.

Carlson, N.R. (2006) Fisiología de la conducta (8ª Edición). Madrid: Pearson Educación.

Mulder, G.J.; Dencker, L. (2006) Pharmaceutical Toxicology. Scarborough: Pharmaceutical Press.

Pies, R.W. (2000) Manual de psicofarmacología básica. Barcelona: Masson.

Pinel, J.P.J. (2007) Biopsicología. Madrid: Pearson Educación.

Raviña Ruvira, E. (1987) Introducción al diseño de fármacos. Santiago de Compostela: Servicio científico Roche.

Rosenzweig, M.R.; Leiman, A.L.; Breedlove, S.M. (2001) Psicología Biológica. Barcelona: Ariel.

Salazar, M.; Peralta, C.; Pastor, J. (2005) Guía de estudio del Tratado de psicofarmacología. Madrid: Panamericana.

Sanjuán, J. (2016) ¿Tratar la mente o tratar el cerebro? Hacia una integración entre psicoterapia y psicofármacos. Bilbao: Desclée de Brouwer S.A.


Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before
Biopsychology/652438010

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously

Subjects that continue the syllabus

Other comments

-Computer skills (user level) are recommended in order to use the Moodle platform and prepare the supervised project and its presentation.

-English language is recommended, in order to read the bibliographic stuff.

-In order to contribute to a sustainable environment and fulfil the objectives of the Faculty of Education Sciences Environmental Declaration, in the frame of the Green Campus, documents prepared for this subject must be delivered in digital format. In case of using paper:

Plastics must not be used.

Printing must be both sides.

Recycled paper must be used.

Draft printing must be avoided.



(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.