Mood Disorders Course Online: Medical Approaches

Join this self-paced interactive online course to learn how to treat mood disorders using medications. Visit https://cce.sydney.edu.au/course/mdma for more information.

A key feature of mood disorders is monoamine dysregulation, which is the target of most antidepressant drugs. This course will firstly discuss the neurochemistry of mood disorders and then introduce you to a wide range of available medications for mood disorders, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, anticonvulsant drugs, lithium and second generation antipsychotics. You will also learn how to deal with treatment resistance issues as well as what procedures to follow in order to achieve the best treatment outcomes.

This course accepts enrollments throughout the year and does not have any prerequisite requirements.

Mood disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting around one in six Australians. The disability associated with mood disorders is comparable to chronic physical illnesses and its presence worsens the prognosis for other mental and physical conditions. Up to 80% of suicides are preceded by mood disorders. Costs associated with mood disorders are very high, both for the sufferer as well as the community and society at large. Fortunately, effective psychological and pharmacological treatments are available, yet recent research indicates depression continues to remain under-recognised and under-treated in primary care.

D1. Communication skills and the patient-doctor relationship

D2. Applied professional knowledge and skills

D3. Population health and the context of general practice

D4. Professional and ethical role

D5. Organisational and legal dimensions

The University of New South Wales, Deakin University, and the University of Melbourne