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PH3.1-9 | Central Nervous System Pharmacology — Assignment

Grading Rubric — CNS Pharmacology Assignment Rubric

Criterion	Points	Full-marks descriptor
Antiseizure Drug Selection — Mechanism and Clinical Reasoning (PH3.3)	5 pts	Exceeds: Correctly identifies absence seizure + tonic-clonic mixed epilepsy; accurately explains carbamazepine's Na⁺ channel block mechanism worsening absence (thalamo-cortical disruption); recommends valproate (or lamotrigine) with full mechanism; names correct monitoring parameter (e.g., LFTs/platelets for valproate or serum Na⁺ for carbamazepine alternative). All four guiding questions addressed accurately.
Opioid Safety and Prescribing — Interaction Recognition and Instructions (PH3.4)	5 pts	Exceeds: Identifies pethidine + sertraline → serotonin syndrome via SERT inhibition; recommends morphine (or fentanyl) with dose conversion principle (oral dose 2-3× parenteral); all four nursing instructions pharmacologically grounded and specific (overdose recognition, constipation management, respiratory monitoring frequency, naloxone availability).
Antidepressant Management — Drug Choice, Adverse Effect Profile, and Timeline (PH3.5)	5 pts	Exceeds: SSRI recommended with clear superiority over TCA (no cardiac Na⁺ channel block, no fatal overdose, no anticholinergic adverse effects); correct 2-4 week pharmacodynamic delay explained (receptor adaptation, autoreceptor desensitisation); augmentation strategy evidence-based (e.g., lithium, atypical antipsychotic, second SSRI switch, buspirone) with mechanism.
Benzodiazepine Dependence and Safe Withdrawal (PH3.2, PH3.6)	5 pts	Exceeds: Pharmacodynamic mechanism of withdrawal seizures explained (GABA-A receptor down-regulation + unopposed excitability); taper plan includes switch to long-acting BZD (diazepam) + 10-25% reduction per 1-2 weeks; definitive treatment for panic disorder named (SSRI/SNRI or CBT); buspirone (or a drug without BZD cross-tolerance) correctly named as unsuitable for withdrawal management.