The Fourth Generation of Progress

Extensively revised, updated, and restructured, the Fourth Edition of this prestigious text incorporates the latest basic and clinical advances in neuropsychopharmacology and identifies promising new areas of investigation. In the tradition of its acclaimed predecessors, this volume establishes a critical bridge connecting the principles of molecular and cellular biology with the etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders and substance abuse. More than any other work in the field, Psychopharmacology consistently and successfully integrates basic neurobiology, biological psychiatry, and clinical psychopharmacology.The two main sections of the book cover preclinical and clinical psychopharmacology. The preclinical section features an exhaustive survey of all currently known neurotransmitter systems. The clinical section provides comprehensive updates on the etiology, biology, and treatment of the entire spectrum of psychiatric and neuropsychiatric disorders. Each section also includes critical analyses of current research methods and key integrative concepts. A third section focuses on timely special topics such as new drug design, ethical concerns in genetic testing and gene therapy, economics of psychotropic drug development, cost-effectiveness in drug treatment of mental illness, transcultural issues in psychopharmacology, and violence and aggression.