Psychopharmacology
A field called psychopharmacology examines how various medications affect patients' mental health. It takes into account how various substances affect a person's conduct by altering their thoughts or feelings. Therese medications are used to treat various ailments, such as depression, psychosis, and anxiety. A specialist on which medication may have the best effect on a patient with a certain mental health issue is a psychopharmacologist. They are aware of the medication's mechanism of action and its anticipated medical effects. Given that the medications utilized affect how the central nervous system functions, the doctor is also likely to have a solid understanding of neuroscience. Also, they are aware of the variations among a variety of mental health issues. The psychopharmacologist will need to have a thorough understanding of the drug's pharmacokinetics (i.e., the movement of the drug within the body) and pharmacodynamics to prescribe medications (i.e., the effects of the drug and its mechanism of action). This is especially crucial if a medication interacts with any reward centers in the body since a psychopharmacologist wouldn't want, for instance, a medication to interact too soon and lead the patient to develop an addiction to a potential high the medication might provide. The scientist must therefore comprehend how the drug interacts with the body over time at a specific dose, how long it remains in the body, and whether it is likely to interact negatively with any other medications the patient is taking. They should also be familiar with the patient’s genetic makeup, as this could also have a big impact. Since the 1950s, pharmacological therapies for psychiatric diseases like schizophrenia or depression have advanced remarkably, and the medications used to treat these disorders provide insight into what is happening finally, knowing something about how illicit drugs work and how they are administered can help us comprehend why some psychoactive substances are so addiction. We will give an overview of some of these subjects in this session and talk about some of the hot-button issues that are currently being debated in the field of psychopharmacology.
Sub Track:
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacokinetics
- Antidepressants
- Neuroleptics
- Tranquilizers