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Drugs and the Neuroscience of Behavior
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Drugs and the Neuroscience of Behavior
An Introduction to Psychopharmacology

Second Edition
  • Adam Prus - Northern Michigan University, USA


February 2017 | 632 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
The up-to-date Second Edition presents an accessible introduction to the rapidly advancing field of psychopharmacology through an examination of how drug actions in the brain affect psychological processes.
To help readers develop an appreciation of the development of drug treatments and neuroscience over time, the book provides historical background, covering major topics in psychopharmacology, including discussion on newer drugs and recent trends in drug use. Pedagogical features at the forefront of the latest scholarship of teaching and learning are integrated throughout the text to ensure readers are able to easily process and understand the material. 

 
 
Preface
 
About the Author
 
1 Introduction to Psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology

 
Why Read a Book on Psychopharmacology?

 
Drugs: Administered Substances That Alter Physiological Functions

 
Psychoactive Drugs: Described by Manner of Use

 
Generic Names, Trade Names, and Street Names for Drugs

 
Drug Effects: Determined by Dose

 
Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacogenetics

 
Psychoactive Drugs: Objective and Subjective Effects

 
Study Designs and the Assessment of Psychoactive Drugs

 
Validity: Addressing the Quality and Impact of a Study

 
Animals and Advancing Medical Research

 
Researchers Consider Many Ethical Issues When Conducting Human Research

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Therapeutic Drug Development

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
2 The Nervous System
Cells in the Nervous System

 
The Nervous System: Control of Behavior and Physiological Functions

 
Cerebral Blood Flow and Cerebrospinal Fluid

 
Genes and the Physiological Processes of Cells

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Gilal Scars and Recovery From Brain Injury

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
3 Neurotransmission
Electrical Events Within a Neuron and the Release of Neurotransmitters

 
Nerve Impulses: Electrical Potential Changes in Neurons

 
Propagation of Action Potentials Down Axons

 
Neurotransmitters: Signaling Molecules for Neuronal Communication

 
Neurotransmission: Neurotransmitter Binding to Receptors

 
Different Types of Neurotransmitters and Communication

 
Monoamine Neurotransmitters: Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, and Serotonin

 
Acetylcholine

 
Neuropeptides: A Large Class of Neurotransmitters

 
Nitric Oxide: A Unique Neurotransmitter

 
Other Types of Chemical Transmission in the Nervous System

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
4 Properties of Drugs
Pharmacokinetic Properties and Drug Passage Through the Body

 
Pharmacodynamics: Describing the Actions of Drugs

 
Psychoactive Drugs and Receptors

 
Neurotoxins and Damage to the Nervous System

 
Adaptations to Chronic Drug Use

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Heroin Tolerance and Overdose

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
5 Drugs of Abuse
Regulatory Agencies and Drug Classification

 
Clinical Definitions and the Diagnosis of Drug Addiction

 
Theoretical Models and the Features of Drug Addiction

 
Drugs of Abuse and Reward Circuitry

 
Drug Abuse and Changes to Learning and Memory Systems

 
Neurobiology and the Stages of Drug Addiction

 
Mortality and Drug Addiction

 
Psychological and Pharmacological Therapies for Treating Drug Dependence

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Food Addiction

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
6 Psychostimulants
Psychostimulants: A Large Variety of Substances

 
Psychostimulants: Herbal Remedies, Prescription Drugs, and Substances of Abuse

 
Pharmacokinetics of Psychostimulants

 
Psychostimulants and Monoamine Neurotransmitters

 
Pharmacological Effects of Psychostimulants

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Treatments for Psychostimulant Addiction

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
7 Nicotine and Caffeine
Nicotine: Key Psychoactive Ingredient in Tobacco

 
Discovery of Tobacco

 
Tobacco Use and Pharmacokinetic Properties

 
Nicotine and Nervous System Functioning

 
Nicotine’s Potent Pharmacological Effects

 
Nicotine Affects Movement and Cognitive Functioning

 
Environmental, Genetic, and Receptor Differences Between Light and Heavy Tobacco Users

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Why People Smoke and How They Quit

 
Caffeine

 
Caffeine Absorption, Duration, and Interaction With Other Psychoactive Drugs

 
Caffeine: Antagonist for Adenosine Receptors

 
Caffeine: Mild Psychostimulant Effects

 
Tolerance and Dependence During Sustained Caffeine Use

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Why People Consume Caffeinated Products

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
8 Alcohol
Alcohol: The Most Commonly Used Depressant Substance

 
Alcohol Production Through Fermentation and Distillation

 
The History of Alcohol Consumption

 
Pharmacokinetic Factors and Alcohol’s Effects

 
Alcohol and Central Nervous System Functioning

 
Pharmacological Effects of Alcohol

 
Treating Alcohol Addiction

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Hangover

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
9 GHB and Inhalants
Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate

 
History of GHB

 
Inhalants

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Stimulus Properties of GHB and Toluene

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
10 Opioids
Opioids: Natural and Synthetic

 
History of Opium Use

 
Pharmacokinetic Properties and Opioid Abuse

 
Opioid Drug Interactions With the Endogenous Opioid System

 
Opioid Drugs: Classification by Receptor Action

 
Opioid System Interactions With Reward, Pain, and Stress Systems

 
Opioid Reinforcing and Analgesic Effects

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Pharmacological Approaches for Treating Opioid Addiction

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
11 Cannabinoids
Historical Use of Cannabis

 
Methods of Cannabis Preparation and Use

 
Cannabinoid Compounds and the Endocannabinoid System

 
Cannabinoids and CB1 and CB2 Receptors

 
Physiological Effects of Cannabinoids

 
Behavioral Effects of Cannabinoids

 
Subjective Effects of Cannabinoids

 
Cannabinoid Tolerance and Dependence

 
Cannabis and Health Risk

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Medical Marijuana

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
12 Psychedelic Drugs
Hallucinogens

 
LSD’s Mild Physiological Effects and Profound Hallucinogenic Effects

 
Mixed Stimulant–Psychedelic Drugs

 
Recreational Use of Dissociative Anesthetics

 
Other Psychedelic Drugs

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Synesthesia

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
13 Treatments for Depression and Bipolar Disorder
Mental Disorders

 
Depression

 
Bipolar Disorder

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Pharmacogenetic Factors and Treatment Response in Depression

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
14 Treatments for Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorders

 
Structures Involved in Fear and Anxiety

 
Anxious Feelings, the Amygdala, and the Sympathetic Nervous System

 
Stress and the HPA Axis

 
Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Drugs and the Treatment of Anxiety

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: How Do Antidepressant Drugs Reduce Anxiety?

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
15 Antipsychotic Drugs
Schizophrenia

 
Schizophrenia’s Complex Neurobiological Profile

 
A Brief History of Schizophrenia and Its Treatment

 
Neurotransmission Hypotheses for Schizophrenia

 
Typical and Atypical Antipsychotic Drugs

 
Antipsychotic Drugs and Autism

 
FROM ACTIONS TO EFFECTS: Antipsychotic Drug Actions and Neurotransmission in Schizophrenia

 
CHAPTER SUMMARY

 
KEY TERMS

 
 
References
 
Author Index
 
Subject Index

Supplements

Student Site

Use the Student Study Site to get the most out of your course!

Our Student Study Site at study.sagepub.com/prus2e is completely open access and offers a wide range of additional features!

 

The open-access Student Study Site includes the following:

  • Mobile-friendly eFlashcards reinforce understanding of key terms and concepts that have been outlined in the chapters.
  • Mobile-friendly web quizzes allow for independent assessment of progress made in learning course material.       
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to certain full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected for each chapter. Each article supports and expands on the concepts presented in the chapter. This feature also provides questions to focus and guide student interpretation. Combine cutting-edge academic journal scholarship with the topics in your course for a robust classroom experience.
Instructor Resource Site

Calling all instructors!
It’s easy to log on to SAGE’s password-protected Instructor Teaching Site at study.sagepub.com/prus2e for complete and protected access to all text-specific Instructor Resources for Adam Prus’ Drugs and the Neuroscience of Behavior, Second Edition. Simply provide your institutional information for verification and within 72 hours you’ll be able to use your login information for any SAGE title!

 

Password-protected Instructor Resources include the following:

  • Microsoft® Word® test bank is available containing multiple choice, true/false, short answer, and essay questions for each chapter. The test bank provides you with a diverse range of pre-written options as well as the opportunity for editing any question and/or inserting your own personalized questions to effectively assess students’ progress and understanding.
  • Editable, chapter-specific Microsoft® PowerPoint® slides offer you complete flexibility in easily creating a multimedia presentation for your course. Highlight essential content and features.
  • EXCLUSIVE! Access to certain full-text SAGE journal articles that have been carefully selected for each chapter. Each article supports and expands on the concepts presented in the chapter. This feature also provides questions to focus and guide student interpretation. Combine cutting-edge academic journal scholarship with the topics in your course for a robust classroom experience.
  • Lecture notes summarize key concepts on a chapter-by-chapter basis to help with preparation for lectures and class discussions.
  • Sample course syllabi for semester and quarter courses provide suggested models for use when creating the syllabi for your courses.
  • Chapter-specific discussion questions help launch classroom interaction by prompting students to engage with the material and by reinforcing important content.

Sample Materials & Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 7

Chapter 13


Adam Joseph Prus

Dr. Adam Prus is a professor and head of psychology at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. He earned his PhD in psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master’s degree in psychology from Western Michigan University. While in graduate school, Prus also worked as a research technician at a large pharmaceutical company, where he screened central nervous system drugs using various biological assays. After earning his PhD, Dr. Prus investigated experimental antipsychotic drugs as a postdoctoral fellow in the Psychopharmacology Division of the Department of Psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. Dr. Prus has... More About Author

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ISBN: 9781506338941
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