Teaching Responsibility
LJMU Schools involved in Delivery:
Psychology
Learning Methods
Lecture
Online
Seminar
Module Offerings
6206PSYSCI
Aims
1. To introduce students to popular drugs of abuse, their mechanisms of action and their effects.
2. To examine how the effects of drugs can be harmful, and are related to many factors including purity, dose and route of administration.
3. To discuss the neurobiological and psychological basis of the addiction cycle from voluntary drug taking to compulsive drug seeking and relapse.
4. To critically evaluate current neurobiological theories of drug addiction
Learning Outcomes
1.
Evaluate the biological and psychological basis of drug effects.
2.
Critically appraise psychopharmacological theories and concepts (e.g. reward, dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, relapse).
Module Content
Outline Syllabus:The purpose of the module is to provide a broad understanding of the behavioural and biological mechanisms underlying drug effects and drug addiction. The module starts by introducing students to common drugs of abuse, and examining the effects of these drugs from both phenomenological and pharmacological perspectives. This will involve exploring the relationship between drug-induced changes in neurotransmission, subjective effects of drugs and long-term changes in behaviour and experience. Students will then use this knowledge during a seminar to explore how harmful some of these drugs might be, and will evaluate the UK legal classification of drugs of abuse. The second half of the module will focus on the addicted state, a transition from taking drugs voluntarily because of their positive reinforcing properties to compulsive drug taking triggered by craving the drug, despite no longer liking it. In the context of current neurobiological theories, students will learn how habitual drug use changes the brain, discuss the impact that has on cognitive processes and in a seminar consider whether there are individual differences in vulnerability to addiction.
Module Overview:
This module will introduce you to popular drugs of abuse, their mechanisms of action and their effects. You will learn how the effects of drugs can be harmful and are related to many factors including purity, dose and route of administration.
This module will introduce you to popular drugs of abuse, their mechanisms of action and their effects. You will learn how the effects of drugs can be harmful and are related to many factors including purity, dose and route of administration.
Additional Information:Psychopharmacology and Addictive Behaviours is a 10 credit optional module at level 6.