A Primer of Drug Action: A Concise, Non-Technical Guide to the Actions, Uses, and Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs [Paperback]

Robert M. Julien Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

Since 1975, Robert Julien's A Primer of Drug Action has been the definitive guide to the effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and on behavior. Now fully updated, this popular guide continues to lead the way through a rapidly changing field, providing readers with a clear, contemporary, and objective look at every drug and medication that either positively or adversely affects brain function. This edition includes important new information on
-Herbal medications
-Drug therapy for behavioral and anxiety disorders
-Clinical practice guidelines for treating psychological disorders
-Depression and the action of antidepressant drugs
-The use of newer anticonvulsants in the treatment of bipolar disorder, pain syndromes, and behavioral disorders
-Drug therapy for children, adolescents and the elderly
-"New generation" antipsychotic agents

Authoritative, comprehensive, and suitable for those with little background in biology, A Primer of Drug Action is an indispensable source of information for anyone interested in drug use, abuse, and education.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A complete, unbiased, and professional review of psychoactive drugs."—American Journal of Psychiatry

"A concise, easily readable guide to actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs . . . This book covers general principles of each class of psychoactive drugs and specific information about each drug within that class. It looks at mechanisms of action, theories about etiologies of major psychological disorders and rationale for drug treatment, and uses and limitations of psychopharmacology. It also includes basic explanations of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Drugs of compulsive use are emphasized. Each of the 20 chapters examines current and future directions in drug research (including drugs not yet available for clinical use). An interesting new chapter on herbal medications has been added. A brief glossary is included. This is a bold attempt to capture the explosion of knowledge about psychoactive substances . . . This is a good, comprehensive review that has organized and presented a massive amount of often disparate information into a comprehensible, easy to use book."—Nancy Schell, MD (Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center), Doody Review Services

"Since the primer's first edition 20 years ago, much has been learned about psychoactive drugs, their use in the treatment of mental disorders, and their potential for misuse. Chapters cover principles of drug action, properties of specific drugs, pharmacotherapy for various disorders, and societal issues. The primer's goal is to present information in clear language, free of jargon, for students and general readers, though scholarly syntax is the norm throughout."— Book News

"This in-depth survey of the effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and behavior includes an expanded discussion of drug action and new discoveries in psychopharmacology since 1975. Surprisingly simple language lend insights to details on the actions, uses and side effects of these drugs. A valuable . . . reference addition."— Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Robert M. Julien, M.D., Ph.D., is staff anesthesiologist at St. Vincent Hospital and Medical Center in Portland, Oregon.

Product Details

• Paperback: 512 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; Rev Upd edition (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080507158X
• ISBN-13: 978-0805071580
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #474,437 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Clear, Excellent and Concise Guide, March 14, 2005

By 

MacKenzie Stuart (Alameda, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Primer of Drug Action (Primer of Drug Action: A Concise, Nontechnical Guide to the Actions, Uses, & Side Effects of) (Paperback)

The 10th Edition of Robert M. Julien's Primer of Drug Action is excellent both as a reference and as a primary text on psychoactive drugs.

The book is designed for readers with a passing knowledge of synaptic transmission and basic neuroanatomy. As such, his explanations of these foundation topics are lacking, but a text like Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain or a similar introductory text would give a clearer, more drawn out explanation for the beginning student.

Using the book as a reference guide is simple because the index is detailed and simple to navigate. Quickly finding the chemical structure or learning about some of the side effects of one of any number of drugs shouldn't be a problem. While this book is likely outside the realm of helpful for the casual browser, it is still a useful guide, particularly to, say, a student with a chemistry background.

I cannot stress how excellent this text is as a primary source. It is an easy read; Julien's writing is incredibly clear. He writes with an almost tongue-in-cheek kind of humor that make the writing come to life much more than the majority of science books.

The book can be read out of order without any losses to the information contained therein because each chapter is capable of standing alone. The diagrams are large and clearly labeled and explained. The glossary could benefit from work, as it is brief, but I've found Julien's writing to be clear enough to keep me from using it particularly often.

In the end, Julien knows what he's talking about and over the course of ten editions of this book, has crafted a tight resource for any chemist, neuroscientist or curious soul who wants to know more about psychoactive drugs and the brain.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, January 5, 2000

By 

Avery Boyce - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Primer of Drug Action: A Concise, Nontechnical Guide to the Actions, Uses, and Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs (Primer of Drug Action: A Concise, ... to the Actions, Uses, & Side Effects of) (Paperback)

I became aware of this book because it was used as the textbook for a recent upper level biopsychology seminar. It was one of the best books I have ever had to use for a class, and I believe is an extremely valuable reference for anyone with interest in the way drugs affect the brain. The writing is clear, concise, informative, interesting, and complete. Each chapter gives an overview of the family of drugs and then goes into detail on a few of the most common examples. Everything from delivery to half-life to molecular action to side effects is covered. Many of my friends went out and bought the book after looking at my copy to learn about either their recreational habits or prescription drugs. A background in biology would be useful for understanding all of the information, but there are also appendices which explain the basics.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An accessible balanced approach to drug action, September 4, 2003

By 

M. Wolf (Pacific NW) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Primer of Drug Action: A Concise, Non-Technical Guide to the Actions, Uses, and Side Effects of Psychoactive Drugs (Paperback)

This is the third edition of this book that I own. As a dual diagnosis counselor I have found this book to be an invaluable resource. The psychopharmacology of both drugs of abuse and mental health medications are explained in a detailed manner that is very accessible. I find it a valuable resource in helping me educate clients about drug action.