![]() ![]() ![]() It is important to remember that the "typical" effect of a neurotransmitter can be either excitatory or inhibitory depending on the type of receptor it binds to. Psychoactive drugs can either increase the typical effect of neurotransmitters at the synapse (these are called agonists) or decrease it ( antagonists). Learning Major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brainĪnxiety disorders Epilepsy Major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the bran Reward circuits Motor control Parkinson's disease Schizophrenia Learning and memory Alzheimer's disease Voluntary muscle movement in the peripheral nervous system Table 1: Key Neurotransmitters and Highlights of Their Neural, Behavioral, and Psychological Effects Neurotransmitterīehaviors or Diseases Related to These Neurotransmitters The neurons that release these neurotransmitters, for the most part, are localized within specific circuits of the brain that mediate specific types of behaviors. Some of the most important in terms of psychopharmacological treatment and drugs of abuse are outlined in Table 1. While some drugs, such as most antidepressants and many stimulants, have well-defined effects at the level of the neuron, others, like alcohol, have more widespread and less-clear effects. Neurotransmission is far more complicated than this, but the first step is understanding that virtually all psychoactive drugs alter how neurons communicate with each other in one way or another. When the neurotransmitter crosses the synapse, it binds to a postsynaptic receptor (protein) on the receiving neuron and the message may then be transmitted onward. It is important to recall that neurons communicate with each other by releasing neurotransmitters across the synapse. Virtually all psychoactive drugs cause psychological or behavioral changes by altering how neurons communicate with each other. We call these psychoactive drugs, and almost everyone has used them at some point (yes, caffeine counts). If a drug changes the way you feel, think, or behave it is often doing so by acting on your brain and other parts of your nervous system. In this chapter, we will provide an overview of some of these topics as well as discuss some current controversial areas in the field of psychopharmacology. Finally, understanding something about the actions of drugs of abuse on the nervous system and the way they are processed by the body can help us understand why some psychoactive drugs are so likely to be abused. The pharmacological treatments used to treat psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia or depression have undergone amazing development since the 1950s, and the drugs used to treat these disorders provide clues to what is happening in the brain of individuals with these conditions. For example, the pharmacological treatment of certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer's disease tells us something about the disease itself. Understanding some of the basics about psychopharmacology can help us better explain a wide range of issues that interest psychologists and others. Psychopharmacology is the study of how drugs affect how we think, feel, or behave most often through their actions on the nervous system. ![]()
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