OVERVIEW

The course will provide elements of knowledge on the key principles of clinical psychopharmacology and then deal with the specific analysis of the major families of psychiatric drugs (mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, choice criteria, collaterality).

AIMS AND CONTENT

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

- Knowledge of the general basics of clinical psychopharmacology and development of skills on clinical use of the majors classes of psychiatric drugs (action mechanism, classification, clinical indications, side effects)

- Acquire correct information on the management and goals of pharmacological treatment

- Acquire the ability to properly present your scientific knowledge

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures with presentation of clinical cases.

Any Student with documented Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or with any special needs, shall reach out to the Lecturer(s) and to the dedicated SLD Representative in the Department before class begins, in order to liase and arrange the specific teaching methods and ensure proper achievement of the learning aims and outcomes.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Introduction to clinical psycho-pharmacology 

      •      Psycho-pharmacology fields of clinical interests

      •      General aspects of neurotransmission

      •      General pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic principles

      •       Clinical criteria for choosing a psycho-pharmacological treatment 

 Antipsychotics

       •      Information on the pharmacological treatment of psychosis

       •      Antipsychotic action mechanism

       •      FGA and SGA

       •      Differences between different antipsychotics

• Interventions to improve adherence to treatment

       •     Use of long acting antipsychotics

Antidepressants

       •     General information on the treatment of depression

       •     Mechanism of action of antidepressants

       •     Classification and differences between antidepressants

       •     Phases of antidepressant treatment

   Anxiolytics

      •      General information on the treatment of anxiety

      •      Anxiolytic action mechanism

      •      Advantages and disadvantages in the clinical use of anxiolytics

Mood stabilizers

      •      General information on the treatment of bipolar disorder

      •      Definition of mood stabilizer

      •      Benefits and disadvantages in the clinical use of the main mood stabilizers (lithium, antiepilects, SGA)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Favaro A, Sambataro F. Manuale di Psichiatria. Piccin-Nuova Libraria, Italia, 2021.      

Iasevoli Felice. Manuale di psichiatria. Edizioni Minerva Medica, Italia, 2024.      

Sarà inoltre fornito materiale in power point ad ulteriore integrazione dei contenuti del libro di testo e delle lezioni.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ANDREA AMERIO (President)

ANDREA AGUGLIA

ANDREA ESCELSIOR

GAETANO FORNARO

RICCARDO GUGLIELMO

GIANLUCA SERAFINI (President and Coordinator of Integrated Course)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lessons take place in the first semester.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is carried out orally. The exam is graded out of thirty and passing the exam is subject to obtaining a score of at least 18/30. Weighted average with the other modules of the integrated teaching/course.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam is developed with the aim of evaluating the learning of basic knowledge relating to the psychopharmacology.

The exam will have the objective of ascertaining that the expected learning outcomes have been achieved through a critical evaluation of the knowledge acquired as well as through the candidate's ability to formulate possible solutions relating to specific psychopharmacology.

Students with LSD or other regularly certified special educational needs will be able to agree with the professor on the written or oral mode of the examination, by contacting professors at least 10 days before the exam. They will also be able to take advantage of 30 % additional time 

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

When a student is a certified LSD, it is required to contact the Referring Teacher of the DISABILITY and DSA Commission for DINOGMI: Prof. N. Girtler (nicolagirtler@unige.it ) and evaluated the single case, he will send to the teachers the necessary directions both for  lessons development  and for modality of examination