Drugs, Brain, and Behavior

3 credits · Undergraduate

This course will introduce you to the scientific study of psychoactive drugs - drugs that affect the mind. We will study the pharmacological and neurobiological mechanisms of drugs, including alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, stimulants, depressants, anti-depressants, pain-killers, and psychedelics. We will consider each drugs’ history, chemical structure, route of administration, absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination, mechanisms of action, dosing, and patterns of use and misuse, as well as its biological, physiological, psychological, and behavioral effects. We will end with the discussion of addictive disorders – which are devastating conditions with staggering social costs that affect up to 35% of Americans.