PSYC62H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Hamilton Rating Scale For Depression, Radial Arm Maze, Morris Water Navigation Task
Document Summary
It is common in psychopharmacology to describe a drug as belonging to a particular class or type based upon the psychological effect produced or the desired therapeutic action. There are some advantages to using such a classification system. Many drugs that are classed as sedative-hypnotics induce stimulant-like effects or behavioral disinhibition at low doses. In clinical practice, antidepressants are sometimes used to treat anxiety, while anxiolytics can be used to treat depression. Example: delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol has some of the properties of a sedative-hypnotic, a stimulant, and a mild hallucinogen, but does not fit squarely into any of these classes. Mdma (ecstasy) has some properties of stimulants and hallucinogens, but some researchers have argued that it should not be put in either category, and instead would merit membership in a newer category (ectactogen) In humans, the therapeutic effects of drugs often are assessed by rating scales that attempt to measure the symptoms of a particular disorder; example hamilton depression rating scale or.
