INTRODUCTION TO BIOMEDICINE (21073)          Academic Year: 2014-15

Term: 1
Number of ECTS credits: 4
Student hours: 100

Syllabus

Background information. An introductory course which aims to provide students with specific biomedical information focussed on criminologists' professional practice to enable students to understand, discuss and request evidence or expert evidence related to biological traces. It also aims to broach the study of the psychopathological bases of various neurological and psychiatric disorders and ways in which these may affect the individual's behavioural profile, taking into consideration not only pathological behaviour but also crime-related behaviour.

-  Course typology and focus. An introductory course, including lectures, discussion seminars, problems and commercial films as teaching aids.

- Key aspects of the course. Orientated to the understanding of the biological bases of the body and the central nervous system and the psychopathological grounds for vulnerability to commit crime.

- Contents section 1. THE BIOLOGICAL BASES OF BIOGENETIC IDENTITY

1.- Course presentation. The concepts of genetic indentify and biological identity. Cellular organisation. The function of DNA and RNA. Cellular Organisation. Genetic material. Protein structure and function.

- Contents section 2. THE PRINCIPLES OF NEUROSCIENCE 

2.- Organisation, structure and function of the central nervous system. Neurotransmitters and chemical mediators in transmitting nerve messages. The main neurotransmission systems.

3.- Functions of the limbic system and emotional-type responses. Neuroendocrine stress response systems. Stress as a physiological response. Psychopathological consequences in stress response regulation.

4.- Cognitive neuroscience. Mechanisms involved in learning and the memory. Amnesia. Concept and types. Physiopathological mechanisms. Attention. Attention deficits.

5. - Neurobiological bases of aggressive behaviour. Hormonal and neurotransmission systems which control this behaviour.

- Contents section 3. GENETIC VULNERABILITY AND DELINQUENCY

6.- Behavioural biology and law. Profiles of psychopathological personalities and vulnerability factors leading to crime (offender profiling).  

7.- Psychopathological disorders which cause behavioural disorders. Thought disorders. Psychosis and schizophrenia. Affective disorders. Depression. Bipolar disorders. Obsessions.

8.- Psychopathological disorders which cause behavioural disorders. Intelligence variations. Disorders resulting from learning difficulties.

9.- Psychopathological disorders which cause behavioural disorders. Antisocial personality disorder.  Behavioural disorders in special psychopathological groups. Sexual aggression. Addiction to drugs. Addiction to gambling.

10.- Prevention and treatment policies. Psychological treatments. Neuropsychiatric treatments.