BIOL 103: BIOLOGY OF ADDICTION
Spring 2008
Course Descriptions and Syllabi for lecture and laboratory components
Updated January 16, 2008
To the web supplement: http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/B103.html
Course Description for BIOL 103: Alcohol and Drug Abuse
In this course, we will
cover the biological effects of alcohol and drugs on human organ systems,
particularly the nervous, digestive, excretory and reproductive systems. We
will discuss the psychological and sociological consequences of these effects.
The use of drugs in both therapeutic and pathologic situations will be
explored. Modalities of recovery will be discussed. This course fulfills the
university graduation requirement for a science course with a lab. Three (3)
credits, offered in the Spring semester. For
the laboratory component, you must be comfortable with the idea of holding,
observing, and dissecting preserved organs and animals, specifically sheep
brains, sheep hearts, ox eyes, human brains, and fetal pigs. You must also be comfortable with the idea of
working with live animals, specifically Drosophila
melanogaster.
The lecture class meets MWF 1:00 to 1:55 p.m., while the laboratory sections meet on Mondays and Thursdays, from 2:00 to 5:20 p.m. The textbook we will use is Eisen (2008), The Biology of Addiction, and the lab book we will use is Eisen (2008), Laboratory Workbook for BIOL 103, both available at the bookstore.
Grading in the lecture component will be on the basis of the following:
1)Short, weekly quizzes, usually given in the first 10 minutes on Fridays, covering the previous week’s material. Collectively, these quizzes will count 1/6 of your final grade;
2) 3 semester exams, each worth 1/6 of your final grade. All exams are comprehensive;
3)A comprehensive final exam scheduled during final exam week, worth 2/6, or 1/3 of your final grade.
Grading in the laboratory component will be on the basis of the following:
- 2 laboratory reports, each worth 1/6 of your final grade;
- Weekly quizzes, collectively counting 1/6 of your final grade;
- A Midterm Exam, worth 1/6 of your final grade;
- A comprehensive final exam, worth 2/6, or 1/3 of your final grade.
Tests and laboratory reports will be graded on a 4-point scale, and final grades will be given on the basis of the following scale:
3.50 - 4.00 = A
2.75 - 3.49 = B
2.00 - 2.74 = C
1.00 - 1.99 = D
<1.00 = F
Some Useful Web Addresses:
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism -
http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/
GUIDELINES FOR LABORATORY REPORTS
- Please DOUBLE-SPACE your laboratory report, and use margin size to 1 inch.
- Place a cover sheet at the
front of your laboratory report. The cover sheet should have your name,
the report title, the course and section numbers
centered on the page. PLEASE
The laboratory report should include the following sections:
- An ABSTRACT section, in which you describe in briefest form, the purpose, primary results and conclusions of the research report. By convention, it is 200 words or 3% of the laboratory report, whichever is LESS;
- An INTRODUCTION section, in which you provide information pertaining to the problem as it is recognized and in which you discuss background information which would be pertinent to the reader. The purpose, in which you specify the questions to be addressed in THIS lab report, should be in the LAST paragraph of the introduction section;
- A MATERIALS AND METHODS section, in which you discuss the organism(s) under study and the experimental protocol in "text" form. PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE A MATERIALS LIST. If there are several parts to the experiment, each part should be described separately. Briefly describe in the text of your Materials and Methods section the protocol you followed in conducting this experiment;
- A RESULTS section, in which you discuss the data from each part of the study in the same sequence as the parts were described in the Materials and Methods section. Use a paragraph to tell the reader what the main point is, and at the end of the sentence, refer to a specific Table or Figure, as in the following: "Seedlings exposed to either .1% or .2% phosphate grew vigorously, but the controls did not (Figure 1)." It is essential to convert or present the data in an understandable format. CHARTS OF RAW DATA ARE NEITHER NECESSARY NOR DESIRABLE!;
- A DISCUSSION section, in which you relate the results of your experiment to the general body of knowledge pertinent to this area of research;
- A REFERENCES section, in which you list the references used for background information and/or protocol procedures, including your laboratory textbook.
CRITERIA FOR THE GRADING OF PAPERS AND EXPERIMENTAL REPORTS
The maximum grade is a 4.00 and is a composite of three grades based on spelling grammar, and content.
I. Spelling counts 10% of the total grade. Each different spelling or typographical error will usually result in a point deducted from the maximum. However, if one word is consistently misspelled, it will be deducted only once. Low grades in spelling can be avoided by keeping a dictionary on hand and proofreading your work before you submit it for review.
II. Grammar counts 20% of the total grade. Each grammar error (wrong tense, poor sentence of paragraph structure) will usually result in a point deducted from the maximum. Low grades in grammar can be avoided by proofreading your work before you submit it and by writing practice essays.
III. Content counts 30% of the total grade. The kinds of questions that are considered in evaluating content include the following:
- Is your information accurate?
- Is your discussion logical?
- Did you transform the raw data into a more useful and appropriate format?
- Do you adequately support your argument?
- Do you adequately correlate and contrast your data to previous experience?
- Do you support your conclusions with the appropriate statistical test(s)?
IV.Format counts 40% of the total grade. The kinds of questions that are considered in evaluating format include the following:
- Did you follow the appropriate protocol for writing the report?
- Are all section of the lab report complete?
- Did you transform the data into an appropriate manner?
- Did you include the appropriate tables and figures?
You should write your reports as if you were submitting them to the Transactions of the Tennessee Academy of Sciences. I, in turn, will review them as if I were an editor for the journal.
Grades
Spelling x 10% = ____________.
Grammar x 20% = ___________.
Content x 30% = ____________.
Format x 40% = _____________.
COMPOSITE GRADE ._______
BIOL
103: Alcohol & Drug Abuse
Spring 2007
Lecture Schedule
|
Day/
Date |
Topic
(Chapter in book) |
That week’s Exercise in Laboratory Manual (includes
Monday & Thursday labs)** |
|
M 1/7 |
Risk
factors (1) |
Introduction:
|
|
W 1/9 |
Risk
factors, cont’d (1) |
|
|
F 1/11 |
Basic
Neuroanatomy and Physiology, cont’d (2) Structure of neurons, and how
neurotransmitters work, Neurobiology animations |
|
|
M 1/14 |
Basic
Neuroanatomy and Physiology, cont’d (2):
Simple reflexes; Brain
structure and function |
5. Nervous system |
|
W 1/16 |
Basic
Neuroanatomy and Physiology, cont’d (2):
Autonomic function |
|
|
F 1/18 |
Basic
Neuroanatomy and Physiology, cont’d (2):
Senses |
|
|
M 1/21 |
Martin Luther King Day – No class |
3. Microscopy |
|
W 1/23 |
Reward
Circuits and Pathways (3): Close to
Home: Part II |
|
|
F 1/25 |
Genetics of Addiction (4): Fundamentals of genetics |
|
|
January 28 – February 1, 2008: Alcohol Awareness Week |
||
|
M 1/28 |
Genetics
of Addiction (4): Genes implied or
involved in affecting behaviors relating to addiction. |
1. Diffusion |
|
T 1/29 |
Forum: “True Stories of Life and Alcohol” |
|
|
W 1/30 |
Brain
imaging (5) |
|
|
F 2/1 |
Lecture Exam 1 |
|
|
M 2/4 |
Pharmacokinetics
and physiology (6) Structure & Function of the excretory
system Drug metabolites Commercial drug testing kits |
2. Enzymes |
|
W 2/6 |
Ethanol,
(7): Mode of action, metabolism, and
toxicity Dean Martin and http://pageperso.aol.fr/marcbrecy/deanmartin.html How not to rob a liquor store MO, Metabolism & Toxicity of Alcohol |
|
|
F 2/8 |
Ethanol, cont’d (7): Liver transplant surgery |
|
|
M 2/11 |
Ethanol,
cont’d (7): “Wet brain” syndromes |
4. Anatomy of Internal organs: Dissection of fetal pig |
|
W 2/13 |
Ethanol,
cont’d (7) Fetal Alcohol Syndrome |
|
|
F 2/15 |
Drug
testing protocol (8) Depressants
(9): Benzodiazepines |
|
|
M 2/18 |
Depressants
(9): Barbiturates |
6. Respiratory system; |
|
W 2/20 |
Depressants
(9): Inhalants and anesthetics |
|
|
F 2/22 |
Psychostimulants
(10): Cocaine and amphetamines (10) |
|
|
M
2/25 |
Psychostimulants
(10): Amphetamines and Methylphenidate |
MIDTERM
EXAM |
|
W 2/27 |
Nicotine
(11) |
|
|
F 2/29 |
***EXAM
2*** |
|
|
M-F 3/3-3/7 |
SPRING
BREAK |
|
|
M 3/10 |
Opioids
(12) |
12. Excretory system |
|
W 3/12 |
Marijuana/Cannabis
(13) |
|
|
F 3/14 |
Psychedelics
(14) |
|
|
M 3/17 |
Anabolic/Androgenic
Steroids (15) |
9. Effects of selected drugs on Daphnia
magna, a micro- crustacean.
I. |
|
W 3/19 |
Anabolic/Androgenic Steroids (15): The Mitchell Report |
|
|
F 3/21 |
Easter
|
|
|
M 3/24 |
Easter |
10. Ethanol.
I. Effects on humans: Gross anatomy of liver 11. Ethanol.
II. Effects on Drosophila melanogaster Optional initial draft of lab report on
effects of ethanol on human due. |
|
W 3/26 |
Food compulsions (Caffeine/chocolate) (16) |
|
|
F 3/28 |
LECTURE EXAM 3 |
|
|
M 3/31 |
Problem
and Pathological gambling (17) |
7. Tar content of selected cigarettes Lab report on ethanol effects on human due. |
|
W 4/2 |
Behavioral
compulsions (18): Exercise bulimia PSA
about anorexia: |
|
|
F 4/4 |
Behavioral compulsions (18): Cybersex |
|
|
M 4/7 |
Behavioral compulsions (18): Serial killing Timeline of “It was like a brick wall dropped in
front of me”: |
8d. Effects of
caffeine on the circulatory system. Volunteers can be under 21. Those who do not volunteer will assist. Lab report on ethanol effects on fruit
flies due. |
|
W 4/9 |
Treatment
modalities (19): Medical treatment |
|
|
F 4/11 |
Treatment modalities (19): Complementary and alternative medicine |
|
|
M 4/14 |
Treatment modalities (19): Support groups, and the treatment center
experience. |
12. OK, OK,
what about chocolate? Gender-specific differences;
OR Impact of alcoholism and drug abuse to economy and status of |
|
W 4/16 |
Prevention (20): Vaccines |
|
|
F 4/18 |
Prevention (20): Communication and education |
|
|
Final exams for lecture and
lab will be given during Final Exam Week. |
||
**Schedule of labs is subject to change, due to scheduling of Martin
Luther King Day (Monday), and Easter
Jellinek's
graphic model of alcoholism, as an example of the progressive effects of
addiction
|
|
