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

From the Publisher

Guide to the effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and on behavior has been updated, reorganized and enhanced specifically to make the book a more effective classroom text for students taking a psychopharmacology course.

Editorial Reviews -

A Primer of Drug Action

From the Publisher

Guide to the effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and on behavior has been updated, reorganized and enhanced specifically to make the book a more effective classroom text for students taking a psychopharmacology course.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Nancy Schell, MD (Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center)
Description: This is a concise, easily readable guide to actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs.
Purpose: The purpose is to provide accurate and timely information in clear language as free as possible from technical jargon so that readers may understand it with minimal background in the biological sciences.
Audience: The book is written for anyone interested in drug use, abuse, and education. The author is an anesthesiologist with a PhD, although it is unclear what the PhD is in.
Features: This book covers general principles of each class of psychoactive drugs and specific information about each drug within that class. It looks at mechanisms of action, theories about etiologies of major psychological disorders and rationale for drug treatment, and uses and limitations of psychopharmacology. It also includes basic explanations of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Drugs of compulsive use are emphasized. Each of the 20 chapters examines current and future directions in drug research (including drugs not yet available for clinical use). An interesting new chapter on herbal medications has been added. A brief glossary is included. This is a bold attempt to capture the explosion of knowledge about psychoactive substances. Although the book updated and rewritten, as in any area of science, some information may be changed by the time of publication and distribution.
Assessment: This is a good, comprehensive review that has organized and presented a massive amount of often disparate information into a comprehensible, easy to use book.

Booknews

From his home in Portland, Oregon, physician and pharmacologist Julien has updated his guide about every three years since 1975. Over 40% of his references here are to material published since the 1998 edition. He writes for readers with little background in biology or pharmacology, though more advanced readers will also find new information. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Rating

4 Stars! from Doody

Features -

A Primer of Drug Action

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface1Classification of Psychoactive Drugs12Principles of Drug Action6Pharmacokinetics: How Drugs Move through the Body3Central Nervous System Depressants: Concepts and Traditional Agents51General ConceptsFour Agents of Central Nervous System Depression4Central Nervous System Depressants: Benzodiazepines, "Second Generation" Anxiolytics, and Antiepileptic Drugs74Benzodiazepines"Second Generation" AnxiolyticsAntiepileptic Drugs Used in Treating Psychological Disorders5Central Nervous System Depressants: Alcohol1016Psychostimulants: Cocaine and the Amphetamine124CocaineAmphetamines and Related Drugs7Psychostimulants: Caffeine and Nicotine158CaffeineNicotine8Pharmacotherapy of Mood Disorders: Drugs for Treating Major Depression1869Pharmacotherapy of Mood Disorders: Drugs for Treating Bipolar Disorder21610Analgesics: Narcotic and Nonnarcotic Drugs233Opioid AnalgesicsNonnarcotic Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Drugs11Antipsychotic (Neuroleptic) and Antiparkinsonian Drugs269Antipsychotic (Neuroleptic) DrugsAntiparkinsonian Drugs12Psychedelic Drugs: Mescaline, LSD, and Other "Mind Expanding" Hallucinogens30113Marijuana: A Unique Sedative-Euphoriant-Psychedelic Drug33014Fertility-Regulating Drugs and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids356Pharmacological Regulation of FertilityAnabolic-Androgenic Steroids15Drugs and Society: Priorities and Alternatives386Psychoactive Drugs as Behavioral ReinforcersDrug Use and Abuse16Integration of Drugs and Psychotherapy in Treating Mental Disorders415Concept of Integrated TreatmentDSM-IV Classification of Mental DisordersIntegrated Treatment of Major DisordersAppendix I Basic Anatomy of the Central Nervous System443Appendix II Physiology of the Neuron452Appendix III Synaptic Transmission, Neurotransmitters, and Information Transfer in the CNS464Glossary489Bibliography: A Basic Pharmacology Bookshelf498Index499

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Synopsis

Now in its ninth edition this popular provides readers with a clear, contemporary, and objective look at every drug and medication that either positively or adversely affects brain function. These include antidepressants, sedatives, opiods, alcohol, marijuana, anabolic steroids, antimanic drugs, hallucinogens, and many others. Authoritative, comprehensive, and suitable for those with little background in biology, A Primer of Drug Action, Ninth Edition is an indispensable source of information for anyone interested in drug use, abuse, and education.

About The Author:

Biography

Robert M. Julien, M.D., Ph.D., is staff anesthesiologist at St. Vincent Hospital and Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Dr. Julien is the author of many articles and reviews as well as of Drugs and the Body (1998).

Special Features:

Features -

A Primer of Drug Action

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface1Classification of Psychoactive Drugs12Principles of Drug Action6Pharmacokinetics: How Drugs Move through the Body3Central Nervous System Depressants: Concepts and Traditional Agents51General ConceptsFour Agents of Central Nervous System Depression4Central Nervous System Depressants: Benzodiazepines, "Second Generation" Anxiolytics, and Antiepileptic Drugs74Benzodiazepines"Second Generation" AnxiolyticsAntiepileptic Drugs Used in Treating Psychological Disorders5Central Nervous System Depressants: Alcohol1016Psychostimulants: Cocaine and the Amphetamine124CocaineAmphetamines and Related Drugs7Psychostimulants: Caffeine and Nicotine158CaffeineNicotine8Pharmacotherapy of Mood Disorders: Drugs for Treating Major Depression1869Pharmacotherapy of Mood Disorders: Drugs for Treating Bipolar Disorder21610Analgesics: Narcotic and Nonnarcotic Drugs233Opioid AnalgesicsNonnarcotic Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Drugs11Antipsychotic (Neuroleptic) and Antiparkinsonian Drugs269Antipsychotic (Neuroleptic) DrugsAntiparkinsonian Drugs12Psychedelic Drugs: Mescaline, LSD, and Other "Mind Expanding" Hallucinogens30113Marijuana: A Unique Sedative-Euphoriant-Psychedelic Drug33014Fertility-Regulating Drugs and Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids356Pharmacological Regulation of FertilityAnabolic-Androgenic Steroids15Drugs and Society: Priorities and Alternatives386Psychoactive Drugs as Behavioral ReinforcersDrug Use and Abuse16Integration of Drugs and Psychotherapy in Treating Mental Disorders415Concept of Integrated TreatmentDSM-IV Classification of Mental DisordersIntegrated Treatment of Major DisordersAppendix I Basic Anatomy of the Central Nervous System443Appendix II Physiology of the Neuron452Appendix III Synaptic Transmission, Neurotransmitters, and Information Transfer in the CNS464Glossary489Bibliography: A Basic Pharmacology Bookshelf498Index499

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