Brain and pharmaceuticals

The general part of the book describes the basic anatomical structures of the brain in relation to behaviour and selected physiological functions of the brain such as sleep and consciousness, memory, emotions – Fear and anxiety and how they are affected by drugs. A separate chapter is devoted to the history of the effects of drugs on the psyche and traditional and non-traditional ways of applying drugs. The authors also note the influence of common foods or certain chemical elements on behaviour.

The chapters in the special part of the book discuss in more detail the individual groups of drugs used mainly in anaesthesiology, e.g. benzodiazepines, alpha2-agonists, dissociative anaesthetics, especially with regard to behavioural changes.

The authors also explain the use of anaesthetics in the immobilisation of animals in reserves and zoos, in disaster medicine for special police and army purposes and in executions as lethal injections, and they do not avoid cases of misuse, for example in the intervention of special forces in the Dubrovka theatre during the liberation of hostages.

The book is intended primarily for anaesthesiologists, but also for other physicians, especially in intensive care medicine, neurology, psychiatry and clinical pharmacology. It will also be of interest to veterinarians and educated lay people.