Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Psychopharmacology
Psychopharmacology is the study of drug-induced changes in mood, thinking, and behavior. These drugs may originate from natural sources such as plants and animals, or from artificial sources such as chemical syntheses in the laboratory. These drugs interact with particular target sites or receptors found in the nervous system to induce widespread changes in physiological or psychological functions. The specific interaction between drugs and their target sites or receptors is referred to as drug action. The widespread changes in physiological or psychological function is referred to as drug effect. In psychopharmacology, researchers are interested in a wide range of drug classes such as antidepressants and stimulants. Drugs are researched for their pharmaceutical properties, physical side effects, and psychological side effects.
Related Stories
1
2
Mind & Brain News
July 18, 2026
July 18, 2026 Several popular sugar substitutes may not be as harmless as they seem. Adults who consumed the most artificial sweeteners showed substantially faster declines in memory and thinking, especially if they were under 60 or had diabetes. The highest ...
July 17, 2026 The Mediterranean diet may influence aging through tiny proteins produced inside the cell’s mitochondria. Older adults who followed the diet most closely had higher levels of humanin and SHMOOSE, ...
July 17, 2026 A drug originally developed for spinal cord injury may offer a fresh approach to treating Alzheimer’s disease. In mouse studies, KCL-286 repaired dangerous DNA damage, reduced inflammation, and targeted multiple disease-related pathways instead of ...
July 16, 2026 A new experimental treatment may have found a way to outsmart glioblastoma’s toughest defense: the blood-brain barrier. Researchers used sugar-coated nanoparticles to ferry genetic instructions ...
July 15, 2026 An existing constipation drug may have an unexpected new use: helping clear the "brain fog" that often lingers after depression. In a small clinical trial, people with a history of depression who took the medication prucalopride for about a week ...
July 15, 2026 Researchers have discovered that a microscopic skeleton inside neurons does much more than hold cells together. It acts as a gatekeeper that controls what brain cells absorb and when they absorb it. ...
July 15, 2026 Going to the cinema, visiting museums, or attending concerts may do more than entertain. Researchers found that older adults who regularly participated in cultural activities tended to have bodies that functioned like those of people about three ...
July 13, 2026 A new study suggests the brain begins making decisions much earlier than scientists previously thought. Researchers found that even primary sensory regions are influenced by higher brain areas through rapid feedback loops, rather than simply passing ...
July 13, 2026 Researchers analyzing data from more than 214,000 people found that dementia risk factors differ widely across countries, challenging the idea of a one-size-fits-all prevention strategy. At the same time, they uncovered surprisingly consistent ...
July 12, 2026 Researchers found that tau is essential for turning new experiences into lasting memories by helping organize the brain's memory-storing cells. The mouse study also revealed how abnormal tau may contribute to Alzheimer's by disrupting both the ...
July 11, 2026 Yale scientists discovered two neuron surface proteins that appear to help spread the toxic protein linked to Parkinson’s disease. Blocking these proteins in mice dramatically reduced disease ...
July 11, 2026 Researchers found that every pregnancy rewires the brain in its own way, with a second pregnancy bringing a different pattern of changes than the first. The discoveries could lead to better ways to recognize and treat maternal mental health ...
Latest Headlines
updated 12:56 pm ET
July 17, 2026 A study of 225 newborns suggests prenatal estrogen may have played a role in the evolution of larger human brains. Boys with finger-length patterns linked to higher estrogen exposure before birth ...
July 12, 2026 Practice may do more than make perfect. Researchers found that extensive training physically reorganizes the brain, allowing learned tasks to bypass the prefrontal cortex and run through specialized ...
July 10, 2026 Scientists have redesigned a key piece of MRI hardware using metamaterials, allowing existing scanners to produce clearer images of difficult-to-see parts of the body in less time. The breakthrough ...
July 5, 2026 Researchers have identified a previously overlooked mechanism of brain cell death that appears to play a major role in Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia. The finding could lead to new ...
July 5, 2026 Researchers have identified the brain circuitry that links deep sleep with the release of growth hormone, revealing how the two regulate each other. ...
July 3, 2026 Using alcohol to cope with stress when young may permanently alter the brain, making it harder to adapt to challenges and increasing the risk of returning to drinking later in life. Researchers also ...
July 3, 2026 Some brains appear to fight back against Alzheimer's by helping immature brain cells survive damage instead of succumbing to it. Understanding this natural resilience could point researchers toward ...
July 3, 2026 Scientists have discovered that a common type of stroke may have a very different cause than doctors once thought. Instead of fatty plaque clogging arteries, the strongest link was found with ...
July 2, 2026 Bumble bees astonished researchers by inventing a new way to reach a hidden reward, despite never being taught the trick. The discovery adds to growing evidence that these tiny insects are far ...
July 1, 2026 A surprising discovery is overturning a long-held assumption about how the brain’s movement center works. Researchers found that two key cerebellar ...