Testing and Evaluation of Drugs of Abuse.

Abstract

(from the cover) "Testing and Evaluation of Drugs of Abuse" describes the pharmocological properties of the major drugs of abuse (e.g., opioids, cocaine, alcohol) and presents the clinical methodologies now being used to assess and quantify these properties. The book balances basic neurobiological concepts of substance abuse and treatment with practical considerations of drug evaluation. It is unique in offering a comprehensive survey of the field that unites the most recent observations of both pure experimental science and the harsh reality of real-world experiences-covering everything from radioligand binding assays in the laboratory to heroin/cocaine "speedballing" on the street. "Testing and Evaluation of Drugs of Abuse" details some of the key pharmacological characteristics of abuse drugs at the receptor level as defined through various animal models and from observations on humans. This volume will prove thought-provoking as well as directly practical to both basic scientists (pharmacologists, neurobiologists) and their clinical counterparts (psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists) in academic, industrial, and government settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)