Aspects Of Psychopharmacology

The study of drug effects on behaviour and psychological processes has a long history. Developments in the decade prior to first publication had been based on a more adequate synthesis than hitherto of psychology and pharmacology, and as a result great progress was made in establishing psychopharmacology as an interdisciplinary subject in its own right. Undergraduate courses in departments of psychology and pharmacology were increasingly including some coverage of this material, but there was a paucity of texts suitable at this level at the time. Originally published in 1984, this book was designed to provide broad coverage of psychopharmacology, with the minimum necessary focus on basic pharmacology and with carefully chosen subjects which are still likely to be of interest to psychology undergraduates and in which good empirical work is available for discussion at that level. The emphasis throughout the book is on the needs of psychology students, but the contents will also interest pharmacology students.

This third edition of Essentials of Psychopharmacology is, like its predecessors, based on the premier textbook in the field, The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychopharmacology, now in its fourth edition. The Essentials format is designed to deliver core knowledge to the busy trainee or practitioner in a succinct and accessible manner. Essentials of Psychopharmacology provides a complete overview of clinically focused pharmacotherapeutic principles of vital interest to psychiatry residents, primary care physicians, and other health care professionals. Updated with the latest research findings since the publishing of the fourth edition, Essentials features new chapters on recently introduced medications and updated chapters on others. The book is divided into two parts: Classes of Psychiatric Treatments, which systematically reviews psychotropic medications within each drug class (e.g., antidepressants and anxiolytics, antipsychotics), and Psychopharmacological Treatment, which outlines current pharmacotherapeutic approaches in the major psychiatric disorders as well as in specific patient populations. Although the latter part has been streamlined in this new edition, coverage of critical information such as approved indications, drug interactions, side effects, and other prescribing factors remains comprehensive. Clinicians seeking a reliable reference and guide to the core knowledge base and practice of clinical psychopharmacology can do no better than this new edition of Essentials of Psychopharmacology.

"The troubling increase in treatment resistance in psychiatry has many culprits: the rise of biomedical psychiatry and corresponding sidelining of psychodynamic and psychosocial factors; the increased emphasis on treating the symptoms rather than the person; and a greater focus on the electronic medical record rather than the patient, all of which point to a breakdown in the person-centered prescriber-patient relationship. Psychodynamic Psychopharmacology illuminates a new path forward. It examines the psychological and interpersonal mechanisms of pharmacological treatment resistance, integrating research on evidence-based prescribing processes with psychodynamic insights and skills to enhance treatment outcomes for patients who are difficult to treat. The first part of the book explores the evidence base that guides how, rather than simply what, to prescribe. It describes precisely what psychodynamic psychopharmacology is and why its emphasis on combining the often-neglected psychosocial aspects of medication with biomedical considerations provides a more optimized approach to addressing treatment resistance. Part II delves into the psychodynamics that contribute to pharmacological treatment resistance, both when patients' ambivalence about their illness, the medication itself, or their prescriber manifests in nonadherence and when medications support a negative identity or are used as replacements for healthy capacities. Readers will gain basic skills for addressing the psychological and interpersonal dynamics that underpin both scenarios and will be better positioned to ameliorate interferences with the healthy use of medications. The final section of the book offers detailed technical recommendations for addressing pharmacological treatment resistance. It tackles issues that include countertransference-driven irrational prescribing; primitive dynamics, such as splitting and projective identification; and the overlap between psychopharmacological treatment resistance and the dynamics of treatment nonadherence and nonresponse in integrated and collaborative medical care settings. By putting the individual patient back at the center of the therapeutic equation, psychodynamic psychopharmacology, as outlined in this book, offers a model that moves beyond compliance and emphasizes instead the alliance between patient and prescriber. In doing so, it empowers patients to become more active contributors in their own recovery"--

The search for medicinal agents to improve emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric conditions of Homo sapiens has occurred for ages. The 20th century witnessed the development of psychopharmacologic agents, including stimulants in the 1930s (and 1950s), chlorpromazine in the 1950s, lithium, tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, SSRIs (1990s), and others. The proper use of these agents in the pediatric population continues to be an active study. Atypical antipsychotics have been approved by the FDA for children and adolescents though their safety and efficacy in the pediatric population but must be assiduously ascertained with ongoing research in the eternal iatric maxim of primum non nocere. The science of evidence-based pharmacotherapy for mental health disorders in children and adolescents is finally emerging. Exciting discoveries await the researchers of this still early 21st century lead by the crucial collaborative efforts of academicians, pharmaceutical scientists, and medical government authorities. Controversies regarding the use of various psychopharmacologic agents for the pediatric population continue in the 21st century, requiring further research and insightful judgment for its applications in this vulnerable population. Excessive and unnecessary psychopharmacologic agents should be avoided in the pediatric population with behavioral/emotional/psychiatric conditions/disorders. In this second edition, the authors present updated information about psychopharmacology in childhood and adolescence.

Treatment with drugs is fundamental to modern therapy of psychiatric disorders. The number of disorders responsive to drug treatment is increasing, reflecting the extensive synthesis of novel compounds and the greater understanding of the aetiology of the disorders. This third edition provides new and updated material, including an additional chapter on clinical trials and their importance in assessing the efficacy and safety of psychotropic drugs. As molecular biology and imaging techniques are of increasing importance to basic and clinical neuroscience, these areas have also been extended to illustrate their relevance to our understanding of psychopharmacology. This book is essential reading for undergraduates in pharmacology and the neurosciences, postgraduate neuropharmacologists, psychiatrists in training and in practice and medical researchers. Reviews of the Second Edition "...this text is eminently readable, well researched, and probably the best of its kind. The book is well worth buying and anyone who claims to know anything about psychopharmacology will be expected to have a heavily annotated copy." Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine "...[this is] a very good book, especially suited to those interested in psychopharmacologic research and psychiatric residency in training." Journal of Chemical Neuroanatomy

This book employs a direct and clear approach to understanding the medications used in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. A range of areas, such as prescription errors, dosage modification in renal and hepatic dysfunction, augmentation strategies in treatment resistant patients, and recent findings from various clinical trials are addressed. Given its clear, straightforward approach, the book will be a valuable guide for all clinicians working with patients with psychiatric illness.

Provides an overview of today's psychopharmaceuticals, their therapeutic uses, adverse effects and limitations. An account of the history of psychopharmacology is followed by detailed descriptions of current research in animals and humans aimed at developing even more effective and safe medications. Concepts of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, including so-called mechanisms of action of psychopharmaceuticals, are explained. Advanced techniques such as SPECT, PET, and fMRI and their uses in psychopharmacology research are described. The book also provides a critical discussion of the relationship between drug-based and non-drug based therapies for mental disorders and addresses economic aspects of psychopharmacology.

The Psychopharmacology of Hallucinogens focuses on the properties, compositions, functions, transformations, and reactions of hallucinogens. The selection first offers information on the biosynthesis and action of hallucinogens in mammals; role of biogenic amines in the actions of monomethoxy-amphetamines; and molecular mechanism of action of hallucinogens. The book then takes a look at the molecular determinants for interaction with the LSD receptor, including biological studies, molecular reactivity, and summation of the molecular polarization complexes. The text examines the progress on the development of a receptor model for hallucinogenic amphetamines; characterization of psychotomimetics; physical identification of hallucinogenic compounds; and aspects of the pharmacology of phencyclidine. The book also underscores the effects of LSD, mescaline, and DMT, including effects on humans, proposed model, and effects of monoamine manipulations. The text also presents analysis of hallucinogens by Pavlovian conditioning, behavioral measures of hallucinogenic behavior, and drug model of hallucinosis. The selection is a dependable reference for readers interested in the study of hallucinogens.