The study of the effects of psychoactive substances on behavior, mood, sensation, and cognition. Clinical psychopharmacology includes both the study of medication effects in patients and the expert use of medications in the treatment of psychiatric disorders.
The study of the effects and mechanisms of action of psychoactive drugs.
The study of the actions and applications of drugs which have a powerful effect on the mind and behaviour.
The study and use of medications to control psychological states, particularly in the treatment of mental illness. Most psychopharmacological agents affect chemicals in the brain known as neurotransmitters, which convey signals from one brain cell to another. By raising or lowering the levels of certain neurotransmitters, medications can change how the brain reacts, often eliminating or reducing the symptoms of mental illness.
The study and use of drugs that influence thinking, behavior, or emotion.
The exploration of medications that influence mental conditions, including antipsychotic drugs, antidepressant drugs, and anti-anxiety drugs, constitutes this field of study.