A Primer of Drug Action: A Concise Nontechnical Guide to the Actions, Uses, and Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs, Ninth Edition

Abstract

Rev. and updated. Originally published: New York : Worth Publishers, ©2001. Pharmacokinetics : how drugs are handled by the body -- Pharmacodynamics : how drugs act -- The neuron, synaptic transmission, and neurotransmitters -- Ethyl alcohol and the inhalants of abuse -- Barbiturates, general anesthetics, and antiepileptic drugs -- Benzodiazepines and second-generation anxiolytics -- Cocaine, amphetamines, and other behavioral stimulants -- Caffeine and nicotine -- Opioid analgesics -- Nonnarcotic, anti-inflammatory analgesics -- Tetrahydrocannabinol -- Psychedelic drugs : mescaline, LSD, and other hallucinogens -- Topics in substance use disorders -- Anabolic-androgenic steroids -- Drugs used to treat depression -- Drugs used to treat bipolar disorder -- Drugs used to treat schizophrenia : antipsychotic drugs -- Drugs used to treat Parkinsonism -- Integration of drugs and psychological therapies in treating mental and behavior disorders / Robert M. Julien and Donald E. Lange -- Herbal medicines used in the treatment of psychological disorders.