Review
"This book is a bedrock for basic understanding of the complex and fast moving field of psychopharmacology, and should be a part of every prescribing clinician's library. It is highly recommended and will be useful in many contexts." Doody's Review Service G

From a review of the first edition...

"...very interesting...and should be of value to those among us who deal with the less happy encounters of people who interface adversely with current psychotherapeutic drugs... very informative and almost pleasurable to learn from. Two thumbs up for this offering." Journal of Clinical Toxicology

"The material is contemporary and extremely comprehensive, with complete lists of established drugs and descriptions of experimental drug therapies." Contemporary Psychology

"Those involved in teaching will find the text useful in preparation of lectures or seminars in psychopharamacology and the carroons make excellent teaching aids. Clinicians will find the book to be a painless source of basic information that they need to be informed practitioners of psychopharamacology really is well titled. It will become an essential source for the information that informs the teaching and practice of psychatric medicine over the next decade." Lancet 2001

"It is highly recommended for both novice and experienced researchers, who stand to gain a new or renewed appreciation for the complexity and beauty of how the nervous system mediates the behavioral effects of drugs." Contemporary Psychology


Book Description
Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology has established itself as the preeminent source of education and information in its field. This much expanded second edition enlists advances in neurobiology, and recent clinical developments, to explain with renewed clarity the concepts underlying drug treatment of psychiatric disorders. New neurotransmitter systems, new theories on schizophrenia, clinical advances in antipsychotic and antidepressant therapy, new coverage of attention deficit disorder, sleep disorders and drug abuse, and a new chapter on gender and sexual psychopharmacology--these are all features of this edition. The fully revised text is complemented by many new illustrations, instructive and entertaining as before, and enhanced to reflect new knowledge and topics covered for the first time. The illustrations and their captions may be used independently of the main text for a rapid introduction to the field or for review, and self-assessment tests follow each chapter. Even more, this will be the essential text for students, scientists, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, enabling them to master the complexities of psychopharmacology, and plan sound treatment approaches based on current knowledge. A Teacher's Set of Essential Psychopharmacology, second edition, consists of the hardback book plus a Mac/PC compatible CD-ROM, which contains all the figures from the text in cleverly crafted PowerPoint® presentations in two versions: the complete sequence of more than 500 animated figures from the textbook, and the same images without animation.


Book Info
Univ. of California, San Diego. Textbook relies on advances in neurobiology and recent clinical developments to explain the concepts underlying drug treatment of psychiatric disorders. Includes a new chapter on gender and sexual psychopharmacology. Color illustrations. Previous edition: c1996. Softcover, hardcover also available. DNLM: Mental Disorders--drug therapy.

ANNOTATION

The book contains color illustrations.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Stahl's Essential Psychopharmacology enlists advances in neurobiology and recent clinical developments to explain with renewed clarity the concepts underlying drug treatment of psychiatric disorders. New neurotransmitter systems, new theories of schizophrenia, clinical advances in antipsychotic and antidepressant therapy, new coverage of attention deficit disorder, sleep disorders, and drug abuse, and a new chapter on sex-specific and sexual function - related psychopharmacology - these are all features of this edition." "This will be a text for students, scientists, psychiatrists, and other mental health professional, enabling them to master the complexities of psychopharmacology and plan sound treatment approaches based on current knowledge."--BOOK JACKET.

FROM THE CRITICS

Nishad J. Nadkarni

The author of this magnificent work takes a pedagogical, highly understandable approach to the area of psychopharmacology—from the level of basic biochemistry and receptor action through practical clinical applications of all major classes of psychotropic compounds. This text is written with the ambitious goal of making the complicated field of psychopharmacology accessible, on both the theoretical and ""everyday"" levels, to the practicing clinician. Towards this goal the author succeeds admirably. The author seeks to reach the audience of prescribing mental health professionals with a medical background who seek a basic and clinical level understanding of the medications that they recommend to their patients. Numerous unique features contribute to the author's goal. First, the liberal use of highly schematic color diagrams in each chapter adds to understanding of such concepts as receptor action, timing of drug effects and clinical outcomes. These diagrams are structured in what initially appears to be an oversimplified, ""cartoon"" form. However, upon further examination it is apparent these illustrations are highly effective in elucidating highly complex material. As well, a pure pedagogical approach with questions and answers at the end allows readers to test themselves on the material presented to ensure maximal retention of key concepts. Finally, while not written at the highly advanced level of the ""bench"" researcher in psychopharmacology, as clearly explained by the author, this text nevertheless is the basis of further inquiry since the author includes a fairly complete bibliography for further reading. This book is a bedrock for basic understanding of the complexand fast moving field of psychopharmacology, and should be a part of every prescribing clinician's library. It is highly recommended and will be useful in many contexts.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Nishad J. Nadkarni, MD (Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center)Description: The author of this magnificent work takes a pedagogical, highly understandable approach to the area of psychopharmacology:from the level of basic biochemistry and receptor action through practical clinical applications of all major classes of psychotropic compounds. Purpose: This text is written with the ambitious goal of making the complicated field of psychopharmacology accessible, on both the theoretical and "everyday" levels, to the practicing clinician. Towards this goal the author succeeds admirably. Audience: The author seeks to reach the audience of prescribing mental health professionals with a medical background who seek a basic and clinical level understanding of the medications that they recommend to their patients. Features: Numerous unique features contribute to the author's goal. First, the liberal use of highly schematic color diagrams in each chapter adds to understanding of such concepts as receptor action, timing of drug effects and clinical outcomes. These diagrams are structured in what initially appears to be an oversimplified, "cartoon" form. However, upon further examination it is apparent these illustrations are highly effective in elucidating highly complex material. As well, a pure pedagogical approach with questions and answers at the end allows readers to test themselves on the material presented to ensure maximal retention of key concepts. Finally, while not written at the highly advanced level of the "bench" researcher in psychopharmacology, as clearly explained by the author, this text nevertheless is the basis of further inquiry since the author includes a fairly complete bibliography for further reading. Assessment: This book is a bedrock for basic understanding of the complex and fast moving field of psychopharmacology, and should be a part of every prescribing clinician's library. It is highly recommended and will be useful in many contexts.

RATING