Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences75 Effects of Drug Exposure on Brain Development

The 1950s heralded an era of unprecedented breakthroughs in psychopharmacology with the introduction of drugs such as chlorpromazine, imipramine and chlordiazepoxide. While much research has since focused on the side-effects of these drugs for the patient, more recently, a shift has occurred toward investigation of the effects on these drugs on the next generation. This volume aims to provide the most recent scientific evidence showing how perinatal drug treatment influences the development of the brain and behavior of the offspring. Authors summarize both human and animal literature. Although authors are aware of the fact that the brains (and behaviors) of animals, particularly rodents, differ in many ways from humans, animal research has been instrumental, particularly in studying the molecular and cellular changes. Moreover, animal research provides important benefits related to investigating the causal relationship between drug exposure and development. For example, psychotropic medication is used by pregnant humans because they suffer from a (mental) illness. The volume focuses both on psychotropic drugs (such as antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs) and on drugs of abuse (including psychostimulants and alcohol). It summarizes the current state of knowledge on the acute and long-term effects of psychoactive drugs on the brain and behavior of the offspring.