Drugs and the Nervous System

Catalog description

In this course, we will examine the major psychoactive drugs and how they act upon the brain to influence behavior. Additionally, we will discuss the role of drugs and therapeutic agents in various mental disorders and as probes to provide insight into brain function. The first portion of the course will cover basic material in pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, neurophysiology, and synaptic transmission. The second portion will focus on specific mental disorders and their treatment with various drugs. The final portion of the class will cover the pharmacology of different classes of drugs of abuse, including opioids, cannabinoids, psychostimulants, and alcohol. (Sp)