Undergraduate Course: Genetic and Environmental Influences on Behaviour and Mental Health (BIME10022)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biomedical Sciences |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 4 Undergraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Biomedical Sciences |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | The course aims to give students an understanding of how genetic and environmental factors may influence behaviour and cognition with an emphasis on the impact of stress and aging on mental health. There will be a special focus on how reprogramming of the stress response as a result of prenatal factors during pregnancy, life experiences and ageing impacts susceptibility to psychiatric disorders. Psychiatric disorders attributable to chronic stress that will be discussed include generalised anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, impairment of cognitive ability, addiction and schizophrenia. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 1, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
|
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
15/09/2014 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Learning and Teaching Activities |
| Additional Notes |
|
| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
70 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students should:
- understand how genetic analysis is applied to identify risk factors for complex genetic disorders
- understand how genetic variance and inheritance can influence individual risk for psychiatric illness.
- be able to describe the components of the stress response and understand how they interact to produce a co-ordinated response to a wide variety of stressors.
- understand how stress exposure at different life stages can impact upon mental health and risk for developing psychiatric illness
- be able to describe the genetic and environmental factors that impact upon cognitive decline with aging
- be able to critically read and analyse data presented within original research manuscripts and discuss the significance of the findings
- demonstrate an ability to present scientific issues to an audience and openly debate them |
Assessment Information
In-course assessment: Students will give oral presentations in small groups; e.g. critiques of scientific papers and strategies for addressing research questions. They will be required to submit individual overviews of these presentations for assessment (30%).
Degree examination (70%).
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Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Not entered |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Not entered |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Genetics, environment, stress, behaviour, mental health |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Pauline Jamieson
Tel:
Email: Pauline.Jamieson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Caroline Morris
Tel: (0131 6)51 3255
Email: c.d.morris@ed.ac.uk |
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