Drugs, the Brain, and Behavior

In this book you will explore the brain and see what happens when drugs affect its functions. Filled with an array of useful definitions and amazing historic discoveries about the nervous system, this book will bring you up to speed on the brain/behavior relationship, basic neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and the mechanistic actions of mood-altering drugs, including alcohol, marijuana, anxiolytics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, cocaine, and opiates.

Interspersed with original eye-catching illustrations, Drugs, the Brain, and Behavior provides the same type of captivating instruction found in Dr. Brick's highly successful courses. Its clear-cut organization and topical “info-phrases” invite reader dialogue. Unlike most pharmacology-related texts, this book is written by scientists who work in the field of alcohol and drug studies and who share with you their vast, practical experiences in the clinical as well as pharmacological issues surrounding drug abuse and dependence. Specifically, you'll read about:

• how psychoactive drugs affect cognition, behavior, and emotion
• the brain/behavior relationship
• the specific effects of major addictive drug groups
• pharmacokinetics - tracing the impact of drugs through the body
• redefining addiction

The brain is a fascinating organ -- even more fascinating when we consider how readily certain mood-altering drugs can cause us to veer into all kinds of different behavioral paths.

Drugs, the Brain, and Behavior is a unique balance of insightful instruction, useful charts, and easy-to-use tables and formulas that will give you a broad, lasting introduction to this intriguing subject. Whether you're a nurse, chemical dependency counselor, psychologist, or clinician, this book will be a quick reference guide long after the first reading.

What is a Drug?  Is There a Brain-Behavior Relationship?  Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics:  How Do Drugs Get There and What Do They Do? Neuroanatomy:  Where Do Psychoactive Drugs Act? Neurophysiology:  How Do Psychoactive Drugs Act? Alcohol:  The Socially Accepted Addictive Beverage. Cocaine and Other Stimulants:  Drugs That Make Us High. Opioids:  Drugs That Calm Our Pain. Nicotine:  Of What Value? Cannabis:  The Illegal Recreational Plant. Inhalants:  The Highly Toxic Abused Chemicals. Hallucinogens:  Drugs That Make Us Crazy. Antipsychotics:  Drugs That Make Us Sane. Anxiolytics:  Drugs That Calm Us Down. Antidepressants:  Drugs That Lift Us Up. Prenatal Drug Effects. Addiction:  The Chronic Medical Illness That is Often Forgotten.