Psychopharmacology

What psychopharmacology is

Psychopharmacology is the scientific study of how medicines and other substances affect mood, thinking and behavior. It sits where psychology, neuroscience, pharmacology and psychiatry meet, and it examines how drugs interact with the brain’s chemical-messenger systems, such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, GABA and glutamate.

The field grew rapidly from the 1950s, when the first modern antipsychotic and antidepressant medicines were introduced, changing psychiatric care and theories of mental illness. Psychology students meet it in biological psychology courses, where it helps explain how neurotransmitters work and why findings about medication are often more complex than simple “chemical imbalance” explanations suggest.

Talking to a professional

Knowing how a class of medicine works in general is not the same as knowing whether it is right for a particular person. Decisions about psychiatric medicines depend on health history, other medicines and individual goals, and are made with a qualified prescriber.

Relevant professionals include psychiatrists, primary care doctors (GPs) and pharmacists, with psychologists and licensed therapists providing psychological treatments.

Before an appointment, it can help to note down your questions, what you have noticed and any medicines you already take. It is reasonable to ask about the options available, what the research says about them and what happens next. Good clinicians welcome questions and explain things in plain language.

Learn more

To learn more, see our pages on neuroscience, the difference between psychiatrists and psychologists and clinical psychology. Our guide to types of mental health professionals explains who does what.