Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to introduce some of the concepts of behavioral pharmacology to readers whose primary interest is in developmental disorders. There is a large gulf between experimental studies of the effects of drugs and the use of these drugs in the clinic. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the use of drugs that act on the dopaminergic system in the treatment of developmental disorders. There is little evidence of any specific role for dopamine dysfunction as the biological basis of behavioral disorders such as in the hyperactive child syndrome or in mental retardation. Yet dopaminergic stimulant drugs, such as amphetamine or methylphenidate, are the preferred treatment for hyperactive children, and antipsychotic drugs, which block dopaminergic neurotransmission, are the drugs most frequently administered to mentally retarded people. In both examples, it is the observable effects on behavior rather than a biological rationale that led to these drugs being used. This chapter outlines the relationship of behavioral disorder and central nervous system dysfunction, discusses experimental studies of the effects of some commonly used drugs and the relevance of these to the clinic, and introduces some of the general concepts underlying experimental behavioral pharmacology.
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Evenden, J.L. (1988). Issues in Behavioral Pharmacology Implications for Developmental Disorders. In: Aman, M.G., Singh, N.N. (eds) Psychopharmacology of the Developmental Disabilities. Disorders of Human Learning, Behavior, and Communication. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8774-9_10
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