FRS 002— Sec. 028— (2 units) — CRN 53975 — W 4:10 – 6:00 pm — 197 Briggs
Addiction and Addictive Drugs

Instructor: Dorothy Woolley, Section of Neurobiology, Physiology & Behavior, Division of Biological Sciences

Description: The objective of the course is to try to understand what addiction is and what brain mechanisms and pathways are involved. Is addiction really a brain disease? Besides the brain, what other physiological systems (pupil size, blood pressure, digestion, respiration) are involved and how? The course will describe the basic effects and mechanisms of different categories of addictive drugs. Knowledge is power. Understanding addiction and addictive drugs will help students deal with such problems.

Format: The seminar will meet for 2 hours each week for 9 weeks. (The seminar before Thanksgiving will be cancelled.) Informal lectures, discussions and student presentations will be based on handouts of reading material. There is no text. Handouts may be distributed in class or sent out by 3-mail attachments. Take-home questions will require about half a page per question to answer. There will be 4 take-home questions sets with 3 or 4 questions each. The questions will be based on handouts and reading material and will forma the basis for discussions. Grading: The course grade will be based on the quality of the written homework (1/2), discussion and informal presentation of homework questions and reading assignments (1/2), and attendance (required).

About the Instructor: Professor Woolley is a member of the faculty in the Section of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior in the Division of Biological Sciences, as well as the faculty of the Department of Environmental Toxicology, in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Her research interests include the neurotoxicological effects of environmental toxicants and neuropharmacology.