Introduction to pharmacology and neurosciences and introduction to statistics and epidemiology
Introduction to pharmacology and neurosciences
Dr A A Beveridge (Pharmacology) and Professor U Proske (Physiology)
Objectives At the end of this unit students should be able to review the general arrangement of the peripheral nervous system including its afferent and efferent connections; understand the principles of sensory transduction; understand the principles of synaptic transmission; understand the way in which the autonomic nervous system controls the activity of smooth muscle and cardiac muscle; have a knowledge of the receptors involved in each of the steps of neurotransmission from the central nervous system to individual effector organs and tissues; predict the effects and possible side effects of some commonly used drugs that interact with the peripheral nervous system.
Synopsis Two new disciplines, neurosciences and pharmacology, which are among the most rapidly expanding areas in medicine, are introduced. Combining these disciplines is useful as they relate closely with each other, and a good basic knowledge of neurosciences and pharmacology is essential for students to understand material taught subsequently (eg cardiovascular and respiratory medicine). (1) The central and peripheral nervous system; (2) sensory receptors and stimulus transduction; (3) mode receptors and spinal reflexes; (4) proprioception; (5) motorneurones and central synaptic transmission; (6) the innervation of smooth and cardiac muscle (autonomic nervous system); (7) the principles of pharmacology; and (8) the effects of drugs which modulate peripheral neurotransmission by either selective or non-selective action.
Assessment Examination (2 hrs): 95% * MCQ, short essay questions, practicals: 5%
Preliminary reading
Levine R R Pharmacology: Drug actions and reactions 3rd edn, Little Brown, 1983
Prescribed texts
Berne R M and Levy M N Physiology 3rd edn, Mosby, 1993
Katzung B G Basic and clinical pharmacology 6th edn, Appleton and Lange, 1995
Reference books
Gilman A G and others Goodman and Gilman's `The pharmacological basis of therapeutics' 9th edn, Pergamon, 1996
Nicholls J G and others From neurone to brain 3rd edn, Sinauer, 1992
Rang H P, Dale M M and Ritter J M Pharmacology 3rd edn, Churchill Livingstone, 1995
Introduction to statistics and epidemiology
Dr F Cicuttini (Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine)
Objectives At the completion of this unit, students will be able to (1) interpret statistical information in medical journal articles; (2) state the difference between descriptive and analytical epidemiology; and (3) state the strengths and weaknesses of different epidemiological study designs.
Synopsis Demography, descriptive and analytical epidemiology, epidemiological study designs, diagnostic and screening tests and statistical applications. The unit comprises sixteen lectures and six tutorials. The tutorials will be based on critical appraisal of medical literature.
Assessment Mid-year examination MCQ (1 hour): 100%
Prescribed texts
Greenberg R S and others Medical epidemiology Prentice-Hall, 1993
Reference books
Beaglehole R and others Basic epidemiology World Health Organisation, 1993
Bland M An introduction to medical statistics OUP, 1987
Dawson-Saunders B and Trapp R G Basic and clinical biostatistics Lange, 1990
Last J M A dictionary of epidemiology 2nd edn, OUP, 1988
Ryan T A and others Minitab reference manual Minitab Inc, 1986
Sackett D L and others Clinical epidemiology: A basic science for clinical medicine 2nd edn, Little Brown , 1991
Streiner D L and others PDQ epidemiology Becker, 1989
| Published by Monash University, Clayton, Victoria
3168 Copyright © Monash University 1996 - All Rights Reserved - Caution Authorised by the Academic Registrar December 1996 |