PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: FILIPPO CARACIExpected Learning Outcomes
Aim of this course is to provide a specific knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying both clinical efficacy and side effects of the psychotropic drugs used for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.The course is designed to enhance the knowledge base of future psychologists in psychopharmacology working in medical settings, private practice, or other settings where the interaction with the psychiatrists is critical to improve patient care and manage patients with neuropsychiatric disorders. According to this aim specific lectures with mimicked clinical cases will be planned during the course to evaluate the role of psychometric tests in the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of psychotropic drugs and in particular in the pharmacological treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and mild cognitive impairment.
Course Structure
The course will consist of lectures
According to thie aim of the course, specific lectures with mimicked clinical cases will be planned during the course to evaluate the role of psychometric tests in the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of psychotropic drugs and in particular in the pharmacological treatment of depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and mild cognitive impairment.Required Prerequisites
- Basic knowledge of biology and chemistry
- Good knowledge of the Anatomy of the Central and Peripheral Nervous System
- Good knowledge of Physiology with particular attention to neurophysiology and neurobiology of the main neurotransmitter systems
- Good knowledge
of Psychobiology
- Good knowledge
of Clinical Psychology
Detailed Course Content
The first part of the course will be dedicated to the general principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
During the second part of the course we will examine the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profile as well as the therapeutic indications of antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics and hypnotics and antipsychotic drugs.
Specific topics will be then analyzed such as the neurobiological basis and pharmacological treatment of addiction, the possible role of psychotropic drugs for the treatment of psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence, eating disorders and personality disorders. A specific session will be dedicated to geriatric psychopharmacology focusing on the neurobiological basis and pharmacological treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and post-stroke depression.
Integration between psycopharmacology e
psychotherapy: role of epigenetics.
Textbook Information
- Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE. A Primer of Drug Action. 2012, XII edition, pp. 1-248; pp. 519-631.
- Stahl S. Essential Psychopharmacology. Fourth Edition, Cambridge University Press.
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neurobiologia e Neurofarmacologia del sistema serotoninergico | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 58-83 |
| 2 | Neurobiologia e Neurofarmacologia del sistema gabaergico | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 58-83 |
| 3 | Neurobiologia e Neurofarmacologia del sistema glutammatergico | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 58-83 |
| 4 | Neurobiologia e Neurofarmacologia del sistema dopaminergico e noradrenergico | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 58-83 |
| 5 | Neurobiologia e Neurofarmacologia del sistema colinergico | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE-Dispensa Lezioni |
| 6 | Principi fondamentali di farmacocinetica: assorbimento e distribuzione dei farmaci | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 6-57 |
| 7 | Principi fondamentali di farmacocinetica:metabolismo dei farmaci | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 6-57 |
| 8 | Principi fondamentali di farmacocinetica:eliminazione dei farmaci | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 6-57 |
| 9 | Principi fondamentali di farmacodinamica | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 6-57 |
| 10 | I recettori metabotropici e ionotropici | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE-Dispensa Lezioni |
| 11 | Farmaci antidepressivi IMAO e triciclici | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 132-174 -Dispensa Lezioni |
| 12 | Farmaci antidepressivi SSRI e SNRI | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JEpp. 132-174 -Dispensa Lezioni |
| 13 | Farmaci stabilizzanti del tono dell’umore | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 183-211 |
| 14 | Farmaci ansiolitici ed ipnoinducenti | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 220-248 |
| 15 | Farmaci antipsicotici di prima generazione | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 87-123 |
| 16 | Farmaci antipsicotici di seconda generazione | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 87-123 |
| 17 | Principali indicazioni terapeutiche dei farmaci psicotropi | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE |
| 18 | Basi neurobiologiche e trattamento farmacologico delle diverse forme di dipendenze | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 519-538 |
| 19 | Ruolo degli psicofarmaci nel trattamento dei disturbi psichici dell’infanzia e dell’adolescenza | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 552-557 |
| 20 | Ruolo degli psicofarmaci dei disturbi della condotta alimentare e dei disturbi di personalità | Dispense sintetiche fornite dal docente |
| 21 | Possibile uso off-label degli psicofarmaci | Dispense sintetiche fornite dal docente |
| 22 | Possibile uso degli psicofarmaci in gravidanza e nel puerperio | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 545-551 |
| 23 | Psicofarmacologia geriatrica I: basi neurobiologiche e trattamento farmacologico della malattia di Alzheimer | Indice Di Nuovo-Vianello, Deterioramento cognitivo: forme, diagnosi e intervento.MILANO:FrancoAngeli, 2013 |
| 24 | Psicofarmacologia geriatrica II: basi neurobiologiche e trattamento farmacologico della malattia di Parkinson e della depressione post-stroke | Indice Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE pp. 597-615 |
| 25 | Integrazione tra psicofarmacologia e psicoterapia | Julien RM, Advokat CD, Comaty JE. Droghe e farmaci psicoattivi: XII edizione 2012, Zanichelli: pp. 620-631 |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Oral exam
CInAP support will be required in presence of specific teaching activities related to specific needs
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Agonist and antagonist
Metabotropic receptors
The ionotropic receptors
Absorption of drugs
Distribution of medicines
Phase I metabolism of drugs
Phase II metabolism of drugs
Elimination of drugs
Signal transduction
partial agonist
Pharmacology of the cholinergic system
Pharmacology of the serotonergic system
Pharmacology of the gabaergic system
Pharmacology of the glutamatergic system
Pharmacology of the noradrenergic and dopaminergic system
SSRIs
SNRI extension
Tricyclic antidepressants
Neurobiological basis and pharmacological treatment of major depression
Bupropion
Interaction between psychometrics and psychopharmacology
Drug formulations
First generation antipsychotics
Second generation antipsychotics
Neurobiological basis of schizophrenia
Neurobiological basis of addiction
Cocaine
Opiates
Cannabis
Alcohol
Methylphenidate
Atomoxetine
Memantine
Cholinesterase inhibitors
Amyloid hypothesis and new drugs
Epigenetics and psychotherapy
Neurotrophic hypothesis of depression
Psychometrics and psychopharmacology of depression
Psychometrics and psychopharmacology of schizophrenia
Psychometrics and psychopharmacology of ADHD
Psychometrics and psychopharmacology of MCI and Alzheimer's disease
Lithium
Lamotrigine
Topiramate
carbamazepine
Pregabalin
Benzodiazepines