Chapter 1

Pharmacology

The study of the actions of drugs and their effects on a living organism.

Neuropharmacology

The study of drug-induced changes in nervous system cell functioning.

Psychopharmacology

The emphasis on drug-induced changes in mood, thinking, and behaviour.

Neuropsychopharmacology

The identification of chemical agents that act on the nervous system to change behaviour affected by injury, disease, and environmental factors.

Psychoactive drug

A chemical substance that crosses the blood-brain barrier and acts primarily upon the CNS, resulting in changes in behaviour.

Drug Action

Specific molecular changes produced by a drug when it binds to a particular target site or receptor.

Drug Effects

Alterations in physiological or psychological functions associated with a specific drug.

Placebo

A substance that is pharmacologically inert but produces therapeutic and side effects based on belief.

Double-blind experiment

An experiment where neither the patient nor the observer knows which treatment was received.

Chemical name

Identifies drug molecules and how they are joined together, derived from organic chemistry.

Generic/Nonproprietary Name

The official legal name of a drug that resembles the chemical name.

Trade/Brand Name

The proprietary name for a drug, used by the medical profession.

Street Name

An unofficial or slang name applied by users to a drug.

CNS stimulants

Drugs like amphetamine, cocaine, and nicotine that produce increased behavioral arousal.

CNS depressants

Drugs like barbiturates and alcohol that depress CNS function and behavior.

Analgesics

Drugs like morphine and codeine that reduce the perception of pain.

Narcotics

Opiates derived from the opium poppy, including synthetic forms like heroin and fentanyl.

Hallucinogenics

Drugs like mescaline and LSD that alter perception, mood, and cognitive processes.

Psychotherapeutics

Medications like Prozac and Throazine used to treat clinical disorders.

Dosage Response Curve (DRC)

A graph used to display the amount of biological change in relation to a given drug dose.

ED 50

The median effective dose, effective in 50% of people.

LD 50

The median lethal dose, lethal in 50% of the population.

TD 50

The median toxic dose, toxic in 50% of the population.

Potency

The amount of drug required to produce a certain effect; a more potent drug has a lower ED 50.

Effectiveness

The highest maximum effect a drug can achieve.

Primary Effect

The main therapeutic effect for which a drug is taken.

Side Effects

Secondary effects of a drug, which can be harmful or beneficial.

Agonist

A drug that increases the effect of another drug.

Competitive Antagonist

A drug that binds to a receptor but has little or no efficacy, reducing the agonist's effect.

Noncompetitive antagonist

A drug that reduces the effect of an agonist without competing for the same receptor.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted.

First Pass Metabolism

The metabolism of a drug before it is fully absorbed into the bloodstream.

Cytochrome P450 Enzyme Family

The major system involved in drug metabolism, affecting the breakdown of many drugs.

Half-Life (t 1/2)

The time taken to reduce drug concentration in blood by 50%.