Neuropharmacology is the study of the action mechanism and effect of drugs on the nervous system (NS) through their binding to a specific receptor. These drugs include anaesthetic, analgesic, anti-seizure, hypnotic, narcotic, psychotic, and other drugs modulating the function of the NS. Therefore, this course aims to provide students with an overview of neuropharmacological principles, such as the mechanism of action of major neurotransmitters, or ligands, and their receptors (e.g., GABA receptors) in the synaptic transmission of the diseased brain, and its modulation and intervention by drugs to reduce or treat the symptoms of major neurological diseases, such as neurodegenerative, neurovascular, seizure, and psychiatric disorders. Additionally, this course covers several neuroscience fields to discuss how dysfunction of the nervous system leads to prevalent neurological disorders such autism. These fields, including the function of cell adhesion and scaffolding proteins, regulation of excitation and inhibition in central nervous system, and mechanistic mechanisms of neurological disorder risk genes in nervous system function, will provide a detailed picture how disorders and diseases are caused, and how drugs could be involved to study the underlying mechanisms.

Continuous Assessment: 50%

Examination: 50%

Examination Duration: 3 hours