Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (NbN) as a Teaching Tool

March 14, 2021 updated by: Daniel Minkin Levy, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The Effect of the Use Of Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (NbN) In The Teaching Of Psychopharmacology on Medical Students Views Toward Psychiatry

In recent decades, medical student interest in a career in mental health appear to be in decline, possibly due to the perception that the scientific foundation of psychiatry and psychopharmacology is weaker compared to other fields of medicine.

In an effort to examine ways of improving the current nomenclature in Psychopharmacology, in 2008 the nomenclature taskforce was initiated, composed of representatives from five international organizations: ECNP - European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, ACNP - American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, AsCNP - Asian College of Neuropsychopharmacology, CINP - International College of Neuropsychopharmacology, IUPHAR - International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.2 The result of this effort is the Neuroscience based Nomenclature (NbN) - a pharmacologically driven nomenclature that focuses on reflecting current knowledge and on the understanding of the neural system being modified

this research is the first that examine whether putting greater emphasis on neuroscience in the teaching of psychotropics, through the use of the new NbN terminology, achieve the goal of improving medical students views on psychiatry.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

In recent decades, medical student interest in a career in mental health appear to be in decline1. There are multiple factors responsible for the apparent lack of interest in psychiatry, one of them may be the perception that the scientific foundation of psychiatry and psychopharmacology is weaker compared to other fields of medicine.

As the field of psychopharmacology evolves, the terminology used to describe different classes of medication becomes increasingly convoluted: at a time when the same agent is used for the treatment of several different disorders, the nomenclature in use is indication-based and divided into classes that are disease based - such as Antidepressant, Antipsychotic and Anxiolytics. These classes, in turn, are divided into subclasses like "Atypical" or "Second Generation" - terms that give little information regarding the pharmacological properties of the medication itself.

This discrepancy between the current naming of psychotropics and the way they are used in clinical practice is confusing to both the clinician and the patient - and since it fails to reflect on the current scientific knowledge, may affect the way young medical professionals perceive the profession of psychiatry.

In an effort to examine ways of improving the current nomenclature in Psychopharmacology, in 2008 the nomenclature taskforce was initiated, composed of representatives from five international organizations: ECNP - European College of Neuropsychopharmacology, ACNP - American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, AsCNP - Asian College of Neuropsychopharmacology, CINP - International College of Neuropsychopharmacology, IUPHAR - International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology.2 The result of this effort is the Neuroscience based Nomenclature (NbN) - a pharmacologically driven nomenclature that focuses on reflecting current knowledge and on the understanding of the neural system being modified (''pharmacological domain'') and its mode/mechanism of action (''mode of action'')3. The NbN was widely accepted by both clinicians and leading psychiatric journals4 The need to revise the teaching methods of psychopharmacology was reviewed over the years, with different strategies suggested5. To our knowledge, this research is the first that examine whether putting greater emphasis on neuroscience in the teaching of psychotropics, through the use of a new terminology, achieve the goal of improving medical students views on psychiatry.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

100

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Israel
      • Jerusalem, Israel
        • Recruiting
        • Jerusalem Center for Mental Health
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • ADULT
  • OLDER_ADULT
  • CHILD

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Medical students during fifth year psychiatry clerkship

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Medical students during fifth year psychiatry clerkship

Exclusion Criteria:

none

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Intervention group
Medical students during psychiatry clerkship who received NbN psychopharmacology training
Other: NbB psychopharmacology training
a two part course in psychopharmacology based on Neuroscience based Nomenclature
Control group
Medical students during psychiatry clerkship who received standard psychopharmacology training

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
NbN influence on medical students views on psychiatry
Time Frame: May-September 2020
To examine if Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (NbN) as a teaching-tool for medical students affects their views about the scientific foundation of psychiatry and psychopharmacology.
May-September 2020

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
NbN influence on choosing psychiatry as a profession
Time Frame: May-September 2020
To examine whether the use of Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (NbN) in the teaching of psychopharmacology can improve medical students' views on choosing a career in psychiatry.
May-September 2020

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Collaborators

Jerusalem Mental Health Center

Investigators

  • Study Director: Zohar Joseph, MD, Haim Sheba medical Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (ACTUAL)

May 1, 2020

Primary Completion (ANTICIPATED)

August 1, 2021

Study Completion (ANTICIPATED)

September 1, 2021

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 3, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 3, 2020

First Posted (ACTUAL)

May 5, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ACTUAL)

March 16, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 14, 2021

Last Verified

March 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 0103wrqw2030

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Medical Education

Clinical Trials on NbB psychopharmacology training

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Türkiye

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe