BCSC 246: Biology of Mental Disorders
Cross-listed: BCSC 246-01 (P), BCSC 546-01, NSCI 246-01, PSYC 246-01
Prerequisites: NSCI 201/BCSC 240
Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer
Examines the neurobiology of anxiety/phobic conditions, mood disorders, and chronic psychotic states, particularly schizophrenia. Considers definitions of psychiatric syndromes, the problems of diagnosis, brain organization, and neurotransmitter systems involved in state functions. Introduces research approaches including epidemiologic, phenomenologic, family/adoption, longitudinal descriptive, psychophysiologic, neuropharmacologic, genetic linkage, and postmortem studies; emphasizes recent in vivo brain imaging and neuroreceptor studies.