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LSC-20061 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2024/25 Last Updated: 18 April 2024

LSC-20061 - Neuropharmacology
Coordinator: Samaneh - Preferred Ella Maysami Room: HUX-304 Tel: 01782 733671
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

Understanding how medications influence the physiological function of the neuronal and glial cells in the nervous system is a fundamental step towards the design of an intervention (translational neuroscience) and testing therapeutic values of that drug in the clinic (clinical trial).

Medications that are aimed to treat neurological and mental disorders would (usually) apply their effects via binding to specific substrates (e.g. receptor, neurotransmitter or modulators) in the central nervous system (CNS) or peripheral nervous system (PNS). However, traditional efficacy trials (in models of disease) cannot always guarantee the effectiveness of an intervention in the clinic. This is due to the presence of various confounding factors that could alter drug absorption, metabolism, solubility (ability to cross the blood-brain barrier) and/or clearance (excretion and secretion).

The first part of this module will focus on an introduction to neuropharmacology e.g. drug-receptor interactions, dose-response (concentration-response in models of disease), distribution, metabolism, and elimination of drugs systemically or within the nervous system. In addition to covering basic principles of neuropharmacology, molecular mechanisms, sensitivity, specificity and efficacy of various neuropsychiatric compounds will be evaluated.

The second part of these lectures will review disease-specific therapy and current approaches in the treatment and management of common neuropsychiatric conditions.

The third part of this module will highlight advances made in neuropharmacology towards precision medicine and personalised therapy (future medicine). In specific, the importance of 'Omics (genomics/epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) will be appraised and novel approaches such as robotics and nano-medicine (nano-particles) in providing effective treatment and management of neuropsychiatric disorders will be discussed.

In addition to the lectures, there will be two tutorials in this module that would allow students develop their transferable skills including (but not limited to), scientific communication, presentation skill, and providing critical appraisals and peer-reviews. Students are encouraged to be active learners during this module (as opposed to passive learners). The Q/A sessions are designed to maximise peer-peer interactions (i.e. social constructivism), constructivism, and connectivism (modern learning/teaching theories).

Aims
Students will learn about the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of medications used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases and disorders. They will learn about the pathways involved in drug discovery and novel approaches in treatment and management of neuropsychiatric illnesses.

Talis Aspire Reading List
Any reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.
http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/lsc-20061/lists

Intended Learning Outcomes

Describe the biochemical basis and molecular mechanisms by which drugs regulate the neurotransmission to treat neuropsychiatric disorders in the preclinical and clinical settings: 1,2
Compare and contrast the therapeutic values, adverse-effects and/or side-effects of drugs: 1,2
Discuss how various classes of drugs can induce changes in the neuronal signalling to affect mood and behaviour or cause dependency or addiction: 1,2
Communicate findings from analyses of journal articles orally or in writing in their assessments in accordance with professional conventions in neuroscience: 1,2
Discuss the pathways in drug discovery and development in neuroscience from research and development to clinical trials: 1,2

Study hours

11x2h recorded lectures, lecture notes and supplementary materials.
11x1h tutorials (to review lecture notes)
11x1hr (to review & discuss peer reviewed research journal articles)
11x1h workshops (Journal Comprehension)
2h presentations of journal articles (group and individual academic work)
2h open book essay exam (within 8h window)
91 hours independent study (including preparations for the two summative assessments)

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Oral Presentation weighted 50%
Journal Comprehension Oral Presentation
Each student will be given a research paper to review critically. They will need to summarise the main aims and methods concisely, situate the main findings on the broader literature and identify key strengths and weaknesses of the paper. Students then work in small groups (6-10 students) to produce a conference-style series of flash talks (5-10 minutes per student) presenting their findings. Students will give their final presentations live on campus. 10% of the overall marks will be a group mark awarded based on overall coherency, flow and production. The remaining 90% of marks will be awarded to individual students based on their presentation and demonstrable understanding of their research paper. Keele & School's marking criteria will be used to assess learners' knowledge, depth of understanding, critical thinking, academic literacy, and comprehension of research outputs. All learners must submit a pdf version of their talk to Turnitin. Students who fail to complete the first assessment will be given a chance to present their work during the RESIT period (usually July/Aug). One lecturer will assess learners, and sessions will be run in parallel to adhere to academic fairness. All presentations will be recorded (Panopto) for peers to countermark and for students to engage with the scientific content. Each student (not group) will answer two questions (5 marks each - total 10 marks). The learners will answer one question related to their section and one associated with the other parts of the journal article (not their allocated section).

2: Open Book Examination weighted 50%
2h online open-book assessment with a 8-hour assessment window
ONE essay-based question from a choice of three. Typical answers would be in the range of 500-750 words per topic. We recommend that students do not exceed 750 words per essay-based question as we will be assessing the quality of your answer, not the quantity. Students are expected to complete this assessment within 2 hours.

Please note that for the 2022/23 Academic Year programmes may be adapted to operate in accordance with a flexible, digital approach. This means that there may be some changes made to how modules are delivered and assessed. The latest information will be provided to you by your School in module handbooks. We endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes and details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/student-terms-and-conditions/

Last Updated: 18 April 2024