Drugs, the Brain, and Behavior : The Pharmacology of Abuse and Dependence

by Brick; John

• ISBN13: 9780789002747
• ISBN10: 0789002744
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1998-05-21
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

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 Behaviorprovides 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 7 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.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xi	(2)
James W. West
Preface	xiii	(2)
Acknowledgments	xv
Introduction	1	(2)
Chapter 1. What Is a Drug?	3	(6)
Golden Age of Pharmacology	4	(1)
Why Study the Brain-Behavior Relationship?	4	(2)
BBB Model of Drug Action	6	(3)
Chapter 2. Is There a Brain-Behavior Relationship?	9	(8)
Mind-Body Dichotomy	9	(1)
The Mind Is Physical	10	(1)
Enter the Nervous System	10	(1)
Electricity, the Brain, and Behavior	11	(1)
Neurons and Synapses Discovered	11	(1)
Evidence of a Brain-Behavior Relationship	12	(1)
The Emotional Brain	12	(2)
Does the Brain Store Memories?	14	(1)
Why Do People Take Drugs?	14	(3)
Chapter 3. Pharmacokinetics: How Do Drugs Get There?	17	(16)
Entering the Circulation: The First Step	17	(8)
Getting the Drug Out of the Blood: The Second Step	25	(3)
Describing the Relationship Between Dose and Effect	28	(2)
Elimination	30	(3)
Chapter 4. Neuroanatomy: Where Do Psychoactive Drugs Act?	33	(12)
The Brain Is the Target of Psychoactive Drugs	33	(2)
Cerebral Cortex (Cerebrum)	35	(2)
What Does the Cortex Do?	37	(1)
Subcortical Structures	38	(5)
Ventricles	43	(2)
Chapter 5. Neurophysiology: How Do Psychoactive Drugs Act?	45	(10)
The Bottom Line	45	(1)
Neurons, Glia, and Neurotransmission	45	(2)
What Are Ions?	47	(1)
Resting and Action Potentials Explained	47	(2)
Non-Ion-Gated Neurotransmission	49	(1)
What Are Neurotransmitters?	49	(1)
Where Do Neurotransmitters Come From?	50	(2)
Where Do Neurotransmitters Go?	52	(1)
What Are Receptors?	52	(1)
Neurotransmission, Drugs, and Behavior	53	(2)
Chapter 6. Alcohol: The Socially Accepted Addictive Beverage	55	(20)
What Is Alcohol?	55	(1)
Why Do People Drink?	56	(2)
How Does Alcohol Get into the Blood?	58	(1)
Factors Affecting Absorption	59	(5)
Neuropharmacology of Intoxication	64	(1)
Oxidation and Elimination	65	(2)
Calculating the BAC	67	(1)
What Is BAC?	68	(1)
Biobehavioral Effects of Alcohol Intoxication	68	(1)
Driving and Other Complex Tasks in Which Attention Is Divided	69	(2)
Alcohol and the Fetus	71	(2)
Other Medical Consequences of Alcohol	73	(2)
Chapter 7. Cocaine and Other Stimulants: Drugs That Make Us High	75	(12)
Cocaine	77	(3)
Harmful Side Effects of Cocaine	80	(1)
Abuse of and Dependence on Cocaine	81	(1)
Cocaine and the Fetus	82	(1)
Does Cocaine Affect Driving?	83	(1)
Amphetamine	83	(1)
Medical Uses of Amphetamines	84	(1)
Abuse of and Dependence on Amphetamines	85	(1)
Xanthines	85	(2)
Chapter 8. Opioids: Drugs That Calm Our Pain	87	(12)
Natural Opiates	87	(2)
Terminology	89	(1)
Use and Popularity	89	(1)
Semisynthetic Opiates	90	(1)
Synthetic Opioids	90	(2)
Brain Opioid Peptides	92	(1)
Opioid Antagonists	92	(2)
Administration	94	(1)
Distribution and Elimination	94	(1)
Medical Uses	95	(1)
Harmful Effects: Myths and Realities	95	(1)
Abuse of and Dependence on Opioids	96	(3)
Chapter 9. Marijuana: The Illegal Recreational Plant	99	(20)
What Is Marijuana?	99	(2)
What Is THC?	101	(1)
How Is Marijuana Administered?	101	(2)
Distribution	103	(1)
Different Types of Marijuana	103	(1)
Who Uses Marijuana?	104	(1)
Neuropharmacology of Cannabinoids	105	(1)
Half-Life and Measurement of THC	106	(1)
Biobehavioral Effects and Use of Marijuana	107	(3)
Harmful Effects: Myths and Realities	110	(6)
Marijuana and the Fetus	116	(1)
Tolerance and Dependence	117	(1)
Legal Penalties for Marijuana Possession	118	(1)
Chapter 10. Anxiolytics: Drugs That Calm Us Down	119	(14)
What Is Anxiety?	119	(2)
What Are Anxiety Disorders?	121	(1)
Where Does Anxiety Begin?	122	(1)
Pharmacological Treatment of Anxiety	122	(1)
Absorption, Distribution, and Elimination	123	(1)
How Do Benzodiazepines Work?	124	(3)
Where Are Benzodiazepine Receptors?	127	(1)
Biobehavioral Effects of Benzodiazepines	127	(2)
Benzodiazepines and the Fetus	129	(1)
Abuse of and Dependence on Benzodiazepines	129	(1)
Other Anxiolytic Medications	130	(1)
Guidelines for the Use of Anxiolytic Drugs	130	(3)
Chapter 11. Antidepressants: Drugs That Lift Us Up	133	(10)
What Is Depression?	133	(2)
What Are Monoamines?	135	(1)
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors	136	(2)
Lithium Salts	138	(1)
Stimulants	138	(1)
Tricyclic Antidepressants	138	(1)
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors	139	(1)
Other Medications	139	(4)
Chapter 12. Antipsychotics: Drugs That Make Us Sane	143	(16)
What Is Psychosis?	143	(1)
Symptoms of Schizophrenia	144	(1)
Early Treatments for Schizophrenia	145	(1)
Golden Age of Pharmacology	146	(3)
Neurotransmitters and Schizophrenia	149	(3)
Where in the Brain Do Antipsychotic Medications Work?	152	(1)
What It All Means	153	(1)
Brain Dopamine Pathways	153	(2)
Side Effects	155	(4)
Chapter 13. Addiction Is Not What You Think	159	(8)
Definitions	159	(3)
Neurochemical Dysfunction as a Cause of Addictions	162	(3)
Conclusions	165	(2)
Notes	167	(4)
Selected Bibliography	171	(8)
Index	179