PSYC62H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Animal Testing, Pharmacokinetics, Treatment And Control Groups
PSYC62
CHAPTER 1
Chapter 1: Introduction to Psychopharmacology
• Psychoactive substances have big impact on society
Psychopharmacology
• Study of how drugs affect mood, perception, thinking, or behaviour
o Psychoactive drugs : drugs that achieve these effects by acting on NS
• Works to relate actions and effects of drugs to psychological processes
• Behavioural pharmacology is synonymous
o Drugs serve as behaviorally relevant stimuli
• Neuropsychopharmacology
o Emphasis on NS actions of the drugs
Why Read a Book on Psychopharmacology
• Psychoactive drug use highly prevalent especially in addition to recreational drugs
• WHO (world health organization)
o Reports high rates of psychoactive drug use internationally
• All of us are consumers of psychoactive substances
o Should know about the substances we ingest
• Psychoactive substances provide important tools for understanding human behaviour
• See how psychopharmacologists develop psychoactive treatments for psychological disorders
Drugs: Administered Substances that Alter Physiological Functions
• Definition has challenges
• Example: Dopamine
o Dopamine = drug when practitioner administers it
o Dopamine = neurotransmitter when brain produces it
• Drugs come in variety of different forms
o Pills
o Liquids
o Powders
Psychoactive Drugs: Described by Manner of Use
• Psychoactive drugs fall into 2 broad categories
o Instrumental use
o Recreational use
• Instrumental drug use
o Using a drug to address a specific purpose
▪ Ex: taking antidepressant (Prozac) to reduce depression
o Occurs with therapeutic drugs
▪ For treating disorders
• Recreational drug use
o Using drug entirely to experience its effects
▪ Example: alcohol
o May lead to dependence
o Drug dependence : user experiences need or urge to continue using a substance and
has trouble reducing use of the substance
• Misuse: drugs that are intended for instrumental purposes but instead used recreationally
Generic Names, Trade Names, Chemical Names, and Street Names for Drugs
• Example: Tylenol
o Tylenol = trade name
o Acetaminophen = generic name
• Trade name (aka brand name) : trademarked name company provides for a drug
o Designed to be memorable / emotion provoking
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