Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 1 2023-24 |
B | Semester 2 2023-24 |
In this course, we will examine the biological and brain basis of depression. Depression is a common and disabling health problem that leads to considerable disability for the individual and the community. It is the most common reason for claiming incapacity benefit in the UK and has been estimated to cost the UK billions of pounds per annum in lost productivity. This course has two aims. Firstly, we will seek to understand the biological mechanisms that malfunction in individuals with depression. Secondly, we will investigate how understanding these biological mechanisms can lead to better treatments.
This is a module with a STRONG biological component. If you have not enjoyed the neuroscience aspects of the Brain and Behavior strand in 1st and 2nd years then you are likely to find several aspects of this module challenging. We talk about the brain, neurochemistry and genetics and how a greater understanding of these factors can advance our understanding of depression. I strongly suggest you look at the papers in the indicative reading section below as these are typical of the content we will cover.
Each two hour seminar will be split into two halves. In the first half I will give a lecture focused on that weeks topic. In the second half, students will be required to give presentations on primary research papers related to the topic of the lectures.
Seminars examine the neurobiology of depression from a different perspective
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
None
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled) | 100 |
The marks on all assessed work will be provided on e-vision
Disner, Beevers, Haigh & Beck. (2011). Neural mechanisms of the cognitive model of depression. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 12, 467- 480.
Berton & Nestler. (2006). New approaches to antidepressant drug discovery: beyond monoamines. Nature Reviews Neuroscience 7, 137-51.