blue
pills
Drugs & Individual Behavior
PSYCH 3102/5102
  Spring 2019
12:30-1:45 T Th   Sabin 23
Dr. Linda L. Walsh
pills
blue


Table of Contents
  Requirements/Assignments      Grading Scale    
Links to other Walsh Pages    Meet My Family    A sample of my garden  
Julien Study Aids
Meet Our T.A.


PROFESSOR:
Dr. Linda L. Walsh

Office: Bart 1075     Office Hours:1:30-2:30 MW; 11:30-12:30 TTh;
Mailbox: Bart 1068   other times by appointment; drop-bys welcome.

Phone: 273-2690      Email: walsh@uni.edu 
Course online syllabus at: http://www.uni.edu/walsh/drugs99.html 
Class Schedule & Reading Assignments
Text:
A Primer of Drug Action: A Comprehensive Guide to the Actions, Uses & Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs by Robert Julien, Advocat, & Comaty
(12th Edition)

Underlined text in syllabus refers to web documents,easily accessed from our online syllabus at
http://www.uni.edu/walsh/drugs99.html
Lectures draw broadly from many sources so everything we cover will not be found in the text.
Tentative Schedule
Date Day Topic Reading Assignment
1/15  T Introduction to Drugs 
Pharmacists' Right to Refuse to Fill Prescriptions?
State Differences in Conscience Clause vs "Must-Fill" Laws

FYI: 2 major national studies of drug use: 
Monitoring the Future     National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Syllabus; Chapter 2 to page 47
FDA's Tips for Taking Medicines
Placebo Effect: Power of the Sugar Pill
Even When You Know It's a Placebo!
Generic vs. Brand-Name?

1/17
TH How Drugs Move into, Around and Eventually Out of Your Body; 
Food-Drug & Drug-Drug Interactions 
Drug Interaction Checker
Pages 48-60
Basic Pharmacology Slides


Food-Drug Interactions ; Grapefruit Juice Effect
Reading a Medication Label 
Abbreviations Used in Prescriptions
1/22
T Drug Dose & Individual Differences in Drug Effects; 
Side Effects and Adverse Effects
Drug Safety and Effectiveness: No Drug is Completely Safe

  
Chapter 3 Pages 78-89 plus 60-61
How to Report Adverse Events 
Anaphylaxis
Wikipedia:Dose-Response Relationship
First Pass Metabolism
1/24
TH Watch Out for Medication Errors
Medication Error Example: ADHD Kids Getting Methadone by Mistake
Big Bucks - Big Pharma and Advertising
The Truth About Drug Companies
Avoiding Medication Errors    Common Med Errors
Drug Names Causing Med Errors
Drug Name Confusion

Generic Drug Substitution

Pill Identifier Site
1/29
T Introduction  to Your  Nervous System 
Neurotransmitters & Their Receptors
Drug Effects on Messages in the Nervous System 

Chap 1, this handout and these websites:
Basic Brain Areas  
Autonomic Nervous System
The Synapse    Neurotransmitters
Nervous System Slides
Studylist
1/31 TH Assignment 1 Due
Review your notes so you can ask questions in preparation for our first exam
Don't miss class today!
2/5
 T Test 1!!!

2/7

TH
Introduction to CNS Depressants; Barbiturates 
Chapter 13 to 450
Barb-Benzo Slide format



2/12

T
CNS Depressants Continued: 
Benzodiazepines and Newer Drugs 
Learn more about Anxiety: Phobias Slides     Generalized Anxiety Disorder Slides
More about Benzos
450-453
Barb/Benz Studylist

Rohypnol & Other "Date-Rape" Drugs
GHB
How to Get Into Pharmaceutical Sales
Pharmaceutical Sales



2/14


TH


Alcohol: A Classic Depressant 
Chapter 5 to 154
Alcohol Slide Format
Alcohol Outline Format
College Students & Drinking 
"Drunk Support" on College Campuses


2/19


T
Alcohol Abuse


The COMBINE Sudy of Medical Management of Alcoholism
Alcohol Studylist
What is Alcoholics Anonymous?

12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
Fact Sheet - FAS     NOFAS
Rational Recovery Center


2/21


TH
Major Stimulants: Amphetamines
Multimodal Treatment Study of Kids with ADHD 
Practice Parameter for the Use of Stimulant Medications..
Meth Addiction and Treatment    Crystal Meth Anonymous    
Iowa Meth Problem        Meth & Child Abuse in Iowa
Chap 7
Coke-Amphetamine Slides
Coke-Amphetamine Outline 
Methamphetamine 

Methcathinone
2/26
 T Major Stimulants: Cocaine 
Interested in meds used on kids? See extra Chapter 16 in Julien book.

Consider doing the Optional Addiction Simulation
extra pages on ADHD 523-531
Amphetamine/Cocaine Studylist
Addiction's Path 
Effects of Cocaine in the Brain
Self-Test for Cocaine Addiction
2/28  TH Stimulants: Caffeine & Its Relatives Chap 6 pages 167-175
Caffeine Slides  Caffeine Studylist
Neuroscience Resources for Kids - Caffeine
Caffeine FAQ   Caffeine Content in Products
Exploring Chocolate 
Energy Drinks
3/5
T Test 2

3/7
TH Stimulants: Nicotine
Select a brand name prescription medication for Assignment 2
Introduction to the PDR    Wikipedia: Physicians' Desk Reference description
Chap 6 176-192
ISAIC - Outside Resources-Tobacco
The QuitNet - Quit Smoking Resource
Smoking Cessation
Nicotine Studylist


Midterm Grades Due Nicotine Slides
3/12
 T Smoking Cessation
Assignment 2 due


3/14

TH

Narcotic Analgesics

Chapter 10
Narcotics Notes
Narcotic Slides
Narcotic Studylist


SPRING BREAK!!!

3/26

T

Treatment of Narcotic Addiction 

Chapter 10
Opioids
Oxycodone
Treatment of Addiction
3/28
TH OTC Analgesics and Other Psychoactive OTCs 
Look up Nonprescription and Herbal Products

Last day to drop a course without receiving an F on your transcript
OTC reading
Acetominophen and Liver Damage
OTC/Herbal Slides
OTC Studylist





4/2
T Herbal/Natural Remedies; Anabolic Steroids

Last date to turn in Optional Addiction Simulation.
Herbal Products--What You Should Know
Herbal Adverse Effects and Drug Interactions

4/4

 
TH
Steroids continued

Chapter 16
Anabolic Steroids  Reading- Abuse, Side Effects and Safety
Steroid Powerpoint
4/9
 T
Test 3

4/11
 TH Psychotherapeutic Drugs: Antidepressants
Depression in Children and Adolescents
List of Brand & Generic Names of Psychiatric Medications
STAR*D (Sequenced Treatment Alternatives for Depression)
Learn more about Depression: Understanding Depression Slideshow


Chapter 12
Treatment of Depression

St. John's Wort
Serotonin Syndrome
Antidepressant Powerpoint
Test 4 studylist

Fill out this table to review the antidepressants.

4/16
 T Mood Stabilizers

Assignment 3 Due

Chapter 14
SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome
Management of Bipolar Disorder
Stabilizer Slides

4/18
 TH Antipsychotics


Antipsychotics Powerpoint
Psychotherapeutic Drug Studylist


Chapter 11
Extrapyramidal side effects 
Fill out this table to review the antipsychotics.
4/23
 T Cannabis 

Cannabis Powerpoint

Chapter 9
The Marijuana Anonymous Home Page
4/25
TH
Classic Psychedelics
Last day to turn in Extra Credit or Optional Assignments.
Cannabis and Infertility      Cannabis and Cancer
NORML News
4/30
T Psychedelics continued 

Inhalant Slides
Hallucinogen Slides
Chapter 8; 154-158
Is LSD Safe? (from the Star Tribune)
Factline on Inhalants
ACh Related Hallucinogens
Fill out this table to review the psychedelics.
5/2
TH Inhalants
 


 Test 4   Date to be determined

"How much of this stuff will be on the exam?"

    Yes, this course has a lot of assigned links, which have a lot of links, which have a lot of links . Relax, some of these links are images, study aids, or brief examples to help you learn class material. Only a portion of them are "readings". Some of the web links I will actually use as part of lecture. Feel free to go beyond what's assigned however - that's often how you'll find what in this drugs course is most personally meaningful or useful to you. What you find will reinforce the textbook and lectures, and so it will also help you to do better on the exams. The more ways that you interact with the vocabulary, concepts and findings we will be discussing, the better your memory and understanding of the material will be.
    Which brings us to the fact that although drugs and behavior is an interesting and important topic, it is not an easy topic to master. We will be covering dozens of drug names, hundreds of drug effects on behavior, on the body or impacting on society. Many of you will have difficulty with our brief discussions of how the drugs actually change nervous system functioning. To remember the details of this course really requires active study techniques on your part!! I can almost guarantee you that attending class and reading the book won't be enough to earn top grades in this class. It takes some active drilling and doing, some intentional repeated studying of material (rather than one cram session) to keep the facts straight. I strongly recommend 1) actively taking condensed notes and/or making flashcards for each chapter we cover. Try filling out this table as you read each chapter. If you don't find all the information in the book, bring your tables to class. Lecture is most important and will pull in information from sources other than our text. We also will skip some of the detail in the book (but you have to be in class to know what you are responsible for). Drug information is worth the study effort because I think you will use what you learn for the rest of your life.

Return to Table of Contents

Course Requirements

     Realizing that this course draws students from many different majors and with varying commitments outside of the class, I have tried to design a flexible set of assignments that gives you some freedom of choice. A few assignments I consider important learning experiences for all students. These are labeled REQUIRED below. Other assignments may be of interest to students with particular career goals/interests or to students who prefer to have a greater percentage of their grade based on assignments and a smaller percentage of their grade based on tests. Many students feel like they have more control over how well they do on assignments vs the uncertainty of how well they might do on exams. These assignments are labeled OPTIONAL below. Note that OPTIONAL does not mean extra credit: if you choose to do optional assignments your "points possible" increases and the relative importance of tests decreases somewhat. In the end your grade will be based on the percentage of points you earned but note that you must achieve at least a passing average (60%) on exams.  Our 4 exams will be worth about 125 each or 500 points total. The remaining will come from the assignments below. Please note that late submissions will lose points.

Occasional In-Class Activity Points - may not be made up if missed

ASSIGNMENT 1 - Notes to prepare for Jeopardy and Test 1. Due 1/31.
  10 pts
Completion of this linked assignment before class on 1/31 is necessary to earn any Jeopardy points and will help you prepare for our first exam. I will be collecting this homework, so you may want to make a second copy for yourself to study for the exam the next class period. Or test yourself - see if you can fill out a second copy of the assignment from memory only - no notes or book. Testing yourself or having someone else test you (from our PowerPoints for instance) is the best way to determining if you are remembering the details necessary for the exam. If you are not passing your self-tests you must change your study strategies until you can pass!!
ASSIGNMENT 2 - REQUIRED-Using Drug Info Resources Due 3/12. 75 pts I believe that everyone should know how to find information on the medications they or their loved ones are taking. Today's physicians rarely take the time to fully inform patients about their meds and often don't ask what other drugs, herbs, or supplements are being used. Pharmacists make mistakes. It is up to us to take an active role in monitoring our health care and watch out for ourselves - even if it means wading through some medical jargon. For this assignment you must find key information on brand name prescription drug of your choice, using  one drug resource providing the full "FDA-approved" prescribing information           ( either the official professional (for doctors) Physician's Desk Reference, the official manufacturer's package insert, or the online FDA approved package insert information at DailyMED)  and at least 1 other detailed general consumer oriented drug reference. If you don't have a medication in mind I'd suggest choosing one of the medications included in our text to get a head start on a drug category we will be covering. Assignment must include clear proof that you have used the relevant sections of the "official" source or it will only earn half credit or less.
ASSIGNMENT 3 - REQUIRED- Critical evaluation of a OTC drug commercial or ad Due 4/16. 25 pts Videotape a drug commercial, find one online, or copy a drug ad from a magazine for one of the OTC analgesic or cold or allergy medications discussed in class. Using class information and drug references evaluate everything that is said, everything that seems to be suggested, the way the drug is portrayed or referred to, sale pitch, and the accuracy, honesty & completeness of the info presented. Is the manufacturer being totally straight forward with the consumer? Or does the ad mislead consumers with what it says, implies, or what it fails to say? Would you praise or "tsk tsk" their advertising?

Optional (not Extra Credit) Assignment. Do a 2 day Addiction Simulation . This simulation is recommended for future teachers and is not recommended for anyone who has had a substance abuse problem. It is only an educational experience if you commit to truly following the instructions. It does involve deceiving friends, family, and employers for the 2 day period. It makes the most educational sense to do this assignment while we are discussing the most addictive drugs (alcohol, nicotine, amphetamine/cocaine, or narcotic analgesics, but at the very latest this assignment is Due no later than 4/25.
(up to 25 pts)

Optional (not Extra Credit) Assignment. Arrange to go out into the community (Waterloo-Cedar Falls or your hometown area) and interview an individual or individuals who are currently working living in areas affected by drug-use (police, substance abuse counselors, school counselors, health care providers, court officials are some that come to mind). Plan for your interview carefully, doing some reading to help prepare a good list of questions. Prepare a report on the individual(s), the setting, your questions, and the interview responses. If you feel you and your interviewee are up to it, a videotape of your "investigative report" could be an alternative.(up to 25 pts) Due no later than 4/19.

10 pt Extra Credit. Search online for, or keep a blank videotape/DVD handy in your recorder at home to record any educationally valuable shows, segments, or news reports on the drugs/drug issues we cover in this class. Turn the url/tape/DVD in to me with a summary of the program , why you think it's relevant to the class, and a critical evaluation of the value of segment on that form. Realize that brief segments are the most useful for class.  (Tape/dvd will be returned). May be done once for credit.  Due no later than 4/19.

There will be occasional extra credit points available throughout the semester. Because the number of extra credit points available can provide significant benefit to student grades during the semester, there will be no "rounding up" of the percentages in the grade chart below or last minute extra credit at the end of the semester.

Makeup exams are strongly discouraged. If a makeup is necessary you must contact me on or before the scheduled day of the regular exam, provide documentation on why you missed the exam, and the makeup must be taken before the exams are returned to the class. Except under extraordinary circumstances, only 1 makeup exam per student will be allowed per semester. Makeup exams may include extra essay questions.

  • Grading:
  • ***You must have a passing average (60% or above) on exams to pass the course. If you have at least a passing average on exams,
          then your grade will be based on the total percentage of points earned during the semester,
    strictly according to this scale:
  •  
    Grade
    Percent
    Grade
    Percent 
    Grade
    Percent
    A
    93.0-100.0% 
    B-
    80.0 - 82.9%
    D+
    67.0 - 69.9% 
    A-
    90.0 - 92.9%
    C+
    77.0 - 79.9% 
    D
    63.0 - 66.9% 
    B+
    87.0 - 89.9%
    C
    73.0 - 76.9% 
    D-
    60.0 - 62.9% 
    B
    83.0 - 86.9% 
    C-
    70.0 - 72.9%
    F
    0.0 - 59.9%

    About Your Prof
    Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
    Education: B.S. (Psychology) University of Illinois, Chicago;
                      M.A. (Biopsychology) University of Chicago;
                      Ph.D. (Biopsychology) University of Chicago
    Married:  James Walsh (attorney)
    Children:  3 girls (Jennifer, Sara, & Annie)
    Hobbies:  Gardening, gourmet cooking, travel, concert-hopping, reading
    Most unusual experiences: Performing brain surgery on rats, riding an elephant (twice!), climbing the Great Pyramid, wearing a live python around my neck, flying in a blimp, visiting ancient Greek ruins, giving birth
    Goals: Continue to learn for the rest of my life, enjoy my professional and private lives, help others discover psychology (especially the biological side of psychology)

    Return to Table of Contents
    Back to Walsh homepage

    [home] [academic success] [careers] [grad school] [psych resources] [teaching resources]
    [intro to psych ] [neurology] [physio] [help for new UNI students] [self-help books]
    [counseling resources] [demos/tutorials]  [e-mail] [online syllabi] [honors]

    This page was prepared by Linda Walsh, Dept. of Psychology,
    University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0505.