Psychopharmacology: Understanding How Drugs Affect the Mind
Introduction Psychopharmacology is the investigation of the impact of drugs on mood, perception, cognition, and behavior through the manipulation of brain chemistry. Psychopharmacology is the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and pharmacology, and it enables us to design medications for various mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, ADHD etc. Important Concepts in Psychopharmacology 1. Neurotransmitters & Drug Action Psychoactive drugs mainly act by influencing neurotransmitters—chemical messengers in the brain. Some common neurotransmitters are: • Serotonin (regulation of mood – targeted by SSRIs such as Prozac)• Dopamine (pleasure & reward – influenced by stimulants such as Adderall)• GABA (sedative effect – potentiated by benzodiazepines such as Xanax)• Glutamate (excitatory – implicated in disorders such as schizophrenia) Drugs can cause an increase, blockade, […]