Course Overview

SCI-425: Nervous System (3 Credits)
Program(s): CMR

COURSE CONSULTANTS

SIXTH, SEVENTH, AND EIGHTH EDITIONS:

Ronald Pfeiffer, MD
Professor and Vice Chair
College of Medicine
Department of Neurology
University of Tennessee
Health Sciences Center
Memphis, Tennessee

Richard T. Scheife, PharmD, FCCP
Editor in Chief of Pharmacotherapy
Boston, Massachusetts

Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology
Tufts University School of Medicine
New England Medical Center

Editor in Chief of Pharmacotherapy
Boston, Massachusetts

Who Should Take This Course:
Sales representatives and managers who interact with healthcare professionals, including primary care physicians, sleep specialists, psychiatrists, neurologists, physical and occupational therapists, nurses who treat patients with nervous system disorders, and others who would benefit from a knowledge of this important body system.

Career Applications/Benefits:
Disorders of the nervous system include Alzheimer’s disease, migraine, and Parkinson’s disease. Information provided in this course will allow individuals to discuss key features and benefits of pharmaceutical therapies with physicians, pharmacists, and others who treat patients with nervous system disorders. In addition, because of the importance of the nervous system, the impact of other diseases and treatments on nervous system function must often be considered by the physician. Therefore, this course also has relevance for those whose products influence nervous system function or can be used to treat conditions that are often seen concurrently with nervous system disorders.

Course Description:
This course examines the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system, pharmacology related to the system, and selected nervous system disorders that may be encountered during discussions with healthcare professionals. The course begins with an overview of the essential elements of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, which will help healthcare representatives and others understand nervous system disorders and the work of the healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat these disorders. The course also explores how drugs affect nervous system function. It then describes some of the most important nervous system disorders that healthcare professionals frequently encounter, so that representatives will become familiar with the cause, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of each disorder.

Related Courses:
• Disease Management
• Focus on Pain Management
• Introduction to Pharmacology
• Long-Term Care
• Psychiatric Disorders and Their Treatment

Chapter Content:

Chapter 1: Anatomy and Physiology of the Nervous System
	Basic Components of the Nervous System Central Nervous System (CNS) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Autonomic and Somatic Nervous System
Chapter 2: Pharmacology Related to the Nervous System
	Overview of Nervous System Disorders Pharmacology Related to Nervous System Disorders CNS Drugs for Neurologic Disorders Antiparkinson Agents Anticonvulsants Hyptnotics CNS Stimulants Other CNS Agents CNS Drugs for Pain Relief General Anesthetics Opioid Analgesics Nonopioid Analgesics Antidepressants Anticonvulsants ANS Drugs Adrenergic Blockers Cholinergic Blockers Miscellaneous Classes and Agents Local Anesthetics Agents Used to Treat Multiple Sclerosis
Chapter 3: Disorders of the Nervous System
	Migraine Parkinson Disease Chronic Pain Myasthenia Gravis Tardive Dyskinesia Tourette's Syndrome Alzheimer's Disease

Learning Objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to describe the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system (central, peripheral, and autonomic), as well as neurologic disorders and their etiology, pharmacology, and terminology related to nervous system disorders.