ILOs

• Appreciate how drugs may alter brain function
• Understand how drugs can reach and affect the brain
• Understand and explain the role of the blood-brain barrier
• Review main neurotransmitters’ function and dysfunction
• Review diseases associated with aberrant neurotransmission
• Review drugs which amend and affect neurotransmission including drugs of abuse

• Why is CNS pharmacology important?
• What are the challenges of CNS pharmacology?
• Outline the definitions for some fundamental pharmacological terms (agonist, antagonist, partial agonist)
• Describe the different routes of drug entry to the CNS
• What are the main functions of the blood brain barrier?
• What diseases and effects can lead to overcoming the blood brain barrier?
• What are the main (6) neurotransmitters of the CNS
• Outline the features of GABA and its receptors
• Outline the features of Glutamate and its receptors
• Outline the features of Serotonin and its receptors
• Outline the features of Acetyl Choline and its receptors
• Outline the features of Dopamine and its receptors