Synonyms
Psychopharmaceutical
Definition
Psychotropic means acting on the mind and usually accompanies the term psychoactive drug or psychopharmaceutical. A psychoactive drug is substance acting primarily on the central nervous system to temporarily alter brain function. As with all medications, psychotropic drugs have potential risks, including physical side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, changes in appetite, sleep disturbance, and changes in weight. Typically, the psychotropic effects involve alterations in mood, perception, consciousness, and behavior. Such effects could impact results of neuropsychological tests, particularly with regard to diminished reports of depressive symptoms secondary to increased feelings of euphoria or alertness caused by psychotropics. Additionally, psychotropic drugs could result in impaired cognitive functioning resulting in negatively skewed neuropsychological test results. Psychoactive drugs can be used for anesthesia, pain control,...
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References and Readings
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Balamane, M., Kolakowsky-Hayner, S.A. (2018). Psychotropic. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1748
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_1748
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Online ISBN: 978-3-319-57111-9
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