PSYC 450

NEUROBIOLOGY OF DRUG ABUSE & ADDICTION (3 credits)

  • Prerequisites: PSYC 310, 315, 355. This course focuses on the behavioural and neuronal mechanisms involved in drug abuse and addiction. It provides students with a solid conceptual foundation of how drugs of abuse affect the brain and behaviour. Topics such as the pharmacology of drugs of abuse, drug-induced neuronal plasticity in brain regions related to motivation and reward, and the interaction between biological factors and environmental events in addiction are discussed
  • This is a Tier 2 course in the “Behavioral Neuroscience” option.
  • Make sure you remember the material from PSYC 355!

Image result for addiction cartoon

Course Outline:

Here is an outline from Prof. Uri Shalev – one of my favorite professors!

Lectures:

  • Dr. Shalev uses powerpoint slides, but also comes prepared with his own typed notes which he reads from. His lectures are extremely well organized. He will talk about things from his notes which may not be found in the slides. He’ll also mention some really cool history on the subject or other tidbits (don’t worry – not to be tested on, but still really cool to know). He is an extremely knowledgeable man and I encourage you not to miss a class.
    • If he is spending a relatively long period of time talking about a specific study, there is a very high chance you will be tested on that. Take good notes. This is not the class you want to be spending on Facebook.
  • Here are some slides: #1, #2, #3, #4 #5
  • There are also many readings associated with this course. They will all be posted on the Moodle page via “Course Reserves” (left side of page)

Readings:

  • As mentioned above, Dr. Shalev will post all the readings on Moodle. There are many articles to read in this course, although only a portion of them are considered “required readings”.
    • Here is a sample reading; Ch. 1 of the Koob/Le Moal textbook

Grading:

  • With Dr. Shalev, you will have 2 midterms and a final. Many students like the fact you don’t need to write a paper in this course (which is not too common in 400-level PSYC courses)Image result for addiction comic

Additional Resources:

  • Psychopharmacology textbook website companion.
  • Great free online course offered by HarvardX. Here
  • Video on how knockout mice are created
  • Brian Cox reveals the rich and controversial past of sugar, alcohol, tobacco and opium to uncover how the commercial exploitation of these products hooked the world in this wonderful documentary series titled “Addicted to Pleasure“.
    • It is available on Canadian Netflix!