Psychopharmacology



  Psychopharmacology is the study of drug-induced changes in mood, sensation, thinking, and behavior.[1]

The field of psychopharmacology studies a wide range of substances with various types of psychoactive properties. The professional and commercial fields of psychiatric medication). While studies are conducted on all psychoactives by both fields, psychopharmacology focuses primarily on the psychoactive and chemical interactions with the brain.

drug action", and the widespread changes in physiological or psychological function is referred to as "drug effect".

Historical overview

The use of hallucinogenic mushrooms and cacti, along with many other plants. These societies generally attach spiritual significance to such drug use, and often incorporate it into their religious practices.

  The common muscimol-bearing mushroom active ingredient in the sacred drug of ancient India, known as Soma.[2] There are many modern theories citing the discovery of its psychoactive properties as far back as 10,000 BCE.

With the dawn of the Neolithic and the proliferation of agriculture, new Chinese medicine developed elaborate lists of herbs and preparations.

With the scientific revolution in Europe and the United States, the use of traditional herbal remedies fell out of favor with the mainstream medical establishment, although a few people continued to use and maintain knowledge of traditional European herblore. In the early 20th century, scientists began reassessing this rejection of traditional herbs in medicine. A number of important psychiatric drugs have been developed as a by-product of the analysis of psychiatric drugs, as with any other kind of drug.

Only since the 1950s has the use of psychiatric drugs to restore mental health, or at least limit aberrant behavior, been a part of medical therapeutics, when a number of new classes of pharmacological agents were discovered, notably tranquillizers (e.g., Dopamine acts to help transmit nerve impulses in the brain.) Since scientists have found a direct relationship between dopamine blockage and reduction of schizophrenic symptoms, many believe that schizophrenia may be related to excess dopamine.[3]

These drugs contrast sharply with the hypnotic and sedative drugs that formerly were in use and that clouded the patient's consciousness and impaired his/her motor and perceptual abilities. The antipsychotic drugs can allay the symptoms of anxiety and reduce agitation, delusions, and hallucinations, and the antidepressants lift spirits and quell suicidal impulses. The heavy prescription use of drugs to reduce agitation and quell anxiety has led, however, to what many psychiatrists consider an overuse of such medications.[4] An overdose of a tranquilizer may cause loss of muscular coordination and slowing of reflexes, and prolonged use can lead to addiction. Toxic side effects such as jaundice psychoses, dependency, or a reaction similar to Parkinson's disease may develop. The drugs may produce other minor symptoms (e.g., heart palpitations, rapid pulse, sweating) because of their action on the autonomic nervous system.

Psychopharmacological research

Main articles: Psychiatric medication

In psychopharmacology, researchers are interested in any substance that crosses the anabolic-androgenic steroids. They also study drugs used in the treatment of affective and anxiety disorders, as well as schizophrenia.

Clinical studies are often very specific, typically beginning with animal testing, and ending with human testing. In the human testing phase, there is often a group of subjects, one group is given a over the counter sale.

Though particular drugs are prescribed for specific symptoms or syndromes, they are usually not specific to the treatment of any single mental disorder. Because of their ability to modify the behavior of even the most disturbed patients, the antipsychotic, antianxiety, and antidepressant agents have greatly affected the management of the hospitalized mentally ill, enabling hospital staff to devote more of their attention to therapeutic efforts and enabling many patients to lead relatively normal lives outside of the hospital.

See also

References

  1. ^ Meyer, J. S. and Quenzer, L. S. (2004). Psychopharmacology: Drugs, the Brain and Behavior. Sinauer Associates. ISBN 0-87893-534-7.
  2. ^ Mike Crowley (1996). When the Gods Drank Urine. Fortean Studies, vol. III.
  3. ^ Horrobin DF (March 1979). "Schizophrenia: Reconciliation of the dopamine, prostaglandin, and opioid concepts and the role of the pineal.". Lancet. Retrieved on 2007-11-02.
  4. ^ Anne Collins Abrams, Carol Barnett Lammon, Sandra Smith Pennington. Clinical Drug Therapy: Rationales for Nursing Practice. 

Further reading

  • Jack D. Barchas et al. (eds.), Psychopharmacology: From Theory to Practice (2003), an introductory text with detailed examples of treatment protocols and problems.
  • Morris A. Lipton, Alberto DiMascio, and Keith F. Killam (eds.), Psychopharmacology: A Generation of Progress (2002), a general historical analysis.
  • Malcolm Lader (ed.), The Psychopharmacology of Addiction (2005).

Peer-reviewed journals

  • Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, American Psychological Association
  • Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
  • Psychopharmacology, Springer Berlin / Heidelberg
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Medicine > Psychiatry
Subspecialties

Behavioral medicine • Biological psychiatry • Child and adolescent psychiatry • Cross-cultural psychiatry • Emergency psychiatry • Forensic psychiatry • Geriatric psychiatry • Liaison psychiatry • Military psychiatry • Neuropsychiatry • Social psychiatry

Societies

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology • American Psychiatric Association • Royal College of Psychiatrists

Related topics

Neuroimaging • Neurophysiology • Psychiatrist • Psychopharmacology • Psychosurgery • Psychotherapy

Lists

List of psychiatrists • List of figures in psychiatry • List of physicians • List of psychiatric medications • List of psychiatric medications by condition treated • List of neurological disorders • List of psychotherapies• List of counseling topics

Neuroscience subfields:

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Behavioral Neurology | Biological Psychology | Cognitive Neuroscience | Cognitive Psychophysiology | Computational Neuroscience | Molecular Cellular Cognition | Neuropharmacology | Neurophysiology | Neuropsychology | Neuropsychiatry | Neurosurgery | Psychiatry | Psychobiology | Psychopharmacology | Psychophysiology | Systems Neuroscience

Psychology subfields:

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Behavioral Neurology | Cognitive Psychology | Cognitive Neuroscience | Biological Psychology | Neuroimaging | Psycholinguistics | Psychophysics | Psychophysiology | Neuropsychology | Neuropsychiatry | Psychopharmacology | Systems Neuroscience | Mathematical Psychology | Developmental Psychology | Social Psychology | Clinical Psychology | Evolutionary Psychology | Forensic Psychology | Experimental Psychology
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Medication > Neuropharmacology, Psychopharmacology)
 
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