General Psychiatry

At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. illustrate some milestones in the historical development of psychiatry; 2. list various factors and hypotheses in the causation of mental illness; 3. describe biological foundation of human behaviour; 4. apply ICD and DSM in classifying mental disorders; 5. explain the application of principles of medical ethics in psychiatry; 6. differentiate the features of unipolar and bipolar disorders; 7. enumerate the risk of suicide in patients with mood disorders, risk assessment and management strategy; 8. define the term psychosis and list the clinical manifestations and presentation of patients with psychotic symptoms; 9. describe epidemiology, clinical course, prodromal stages, subtypes, and positive, negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia; 10. explain management of patients with schizophrenia; 11. list differential diagnosis for patients presenting with anxiety including primary anxiety disorders and anxiety disorders secondary to other conditions; 12. discuss the epidemiology and distinguish the clinical course, co-morbidity, family history and prognosis of OCD and PTSD; 13. explain how to obtain a thorough substance use history through the use of empathic, non- judgemental interviewing techniques and established screening instruments; 14. list the clinical features of intoxication and withdrawal features in opiates, benzodiazepines, cannabis, alcohol, inhalants, cocaine, barbiturates, caffeine, nicotine, phencyclidine and amphetamines; 15. enumerate typical presentations of substance use disorders in general medical and psychiatric clinical settings; 16. discuss the concepts and relevance of personality traits and disorders in providing care; 17. list the three cluster conceptualization of personality disorders and describe typical features of each disorder; 18. discuss the common currently available psychotropic medications with regard to clinical indications, contraindications, presumed mechanism of action and relevant pharmacodynamics, common and adverse effects, pharmacokinetics; and 19. enumerate the factors relevant to implementing, monitoring and discontinuing psychotropic pharmacotherapy.

Introduction to psychiatry, history of psychiatry, definition of psychiatry, aetiological factors in psychiatric disorders, ethics in psychiatry. Classification of psychiatric disorders. Psychopathology (descriptive), phenomenological description of psychopathology including disorders of perception, thought and speech, emotion, experience of the self and consciousness. Neuroscience of psychiatric disorders, neural networks and neurotransmitters in psychiatric disorders, brain plasticity, genetics of psychiatric disorders, prefrontal cortex and 144 executive functioning, neurophysiology of integrated behaviour. Psychiatric assessment, history taking, mental state examination, physical examination in relation to psychiatry, psychological assessment including neuropsychological, cognitive, behavioural, personality. Interview in emergency, interview in general practice. Mood/affective disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, other mood disorders like premenstrual dysphoric disorder, dysthymia, cyclothymia, atypical depression, seasonal affective disorder. Schizophrenia spectrum disorders, schizophrenia, delusional disorders, psychotic disorders due to another medical conditions, catatonia associated with another mental or medical condition. Anxiety disorders, specific phobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic disorder, selective mutism, separation anxiety disorder. Obsessive compulsive and related disorders, OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, hoarding disorder, trichotillomania, excoriation disorder, pandas. Trauma and stress related disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder, persistent complex bereavement disorder, disinhibited social engagement disorder. Substance related and addictive disorder, including dependence (disorder), withdrawal and intoxication, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis, hallucinogens, inhalants, opioids, sedatives, hypnotic or anxiolytics, stimulants, tobacco. Personality disorders, cluster a, b and c personality disorders, personality changes due to another medical condition. Clinical psychopharmacology, principle of rational prescribing, indication for the use of antipsychotics, anticonvulsant, drugs for dementia, cognitive enhancers, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, stimulants, hypnotic treatments, drugs use in substance dependence, prescribing in pregnancy, adverse drug reactions.