Chapter 1. Psychopharmacology in Perspective
Essay questions.
Q. When did the modern era of psychopharmacology begin and what events were most associated with its
beginning?
A (p. 6-7). It began in the 1950’s with the discovery that chlorpromazine reduced or eliminated many of the
core symptoms of schizophrenia in a much more specific fashion than previous drugs and with (apparently)
lower toxicity. With this discovery, there was a dramatic change in the treatment of mental illness. This led
to many pharmaceutical companies attempting to formulate other similar drugs, one of which (imipramine)
was found to be very effective in the treatment of depression. It also provided evidence that certain forms
of mental illness had a biochemical basis, rather than being due to purely environmental conditions (e.g.,
“bad” parenting).
Q. What events led to the position taken by the Food and Drug Administration that tobacco should be
regulated by the agency?
A (p. 17). It was determined that tobacco companies knew that tobacco was in effect a nicotine delivery
system that was intended to provide nicotine to satisfy users’ addiction, which according to the Federal
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act made nicotine legally a drug.
Q. Describe the “harm reduction” approach to dealing with drug abuse.
A (p. 15). Harm reduction is a pragmatic approach to diminishing the individual and social harm associated
with drug use—especially the risk of HIV infection. It is an effort designed to prevent criminal prosecution
from being more damaging to the individual drug user than the relevant drug itself. The approach
encompasses a wide range of drug user services including making clean needles and syringes available to
injecting drug users, increasing access to methadone treatment, and providing addicts with clean supplies of
the drugs to which they are addicted.
Q. What was Sigmund Freud’s contribution to the field of psychopharmacology?
A (p. 5). Early in his career, he spent three years investigating the physiological and psychological effects
of cocaine, e.g., on fatigue, depression, strength and morphine addiction.
Multiple choice questions.
1. In most cultures “using drugs” to alter mood and behavior was/is:
a. a common occurrence b. restricted to males
c. restricted to medical practitioners d. not part of the culture
2. The discovery of chlorpromazine’s benefits in the treatment of psychosis led to further research with a
variety of psychotropic drugs. The therapeutic value of which drug was initially overlooked because of
this discovery?
a. LSD b. lithium salts
c. tricyclic antidepressants d. morphine
,3. The effects of a psychoactive drug on behavior that do not depend on the drug’s particular molecular
structure are the result of
a. the person’s set and expectancy
b. number of previous exposures to the drug
c. the dose level of the drug
d. different levels of fat in the person
4. According to national surveys, in comparison with the drug use patterns in the mid-1970s in the United
States, which drug has there been a significant increase in the use of by high school students?
a. alcohol b. marijuana c. cocaine d. heroin
e. none of these
5. Shortly after it was discovered, LSD was initially used primarily
a. as a research tool for understanding the biochemical basis of psychosis
b. by several religious groups in their religious ceremonies
c. by heroin addicts to alleviate withdrawal
d. to alleviate pain
6. Which of the following is the leading cause of mortality in the United States?
a. heroin overdoses b. cocaine overdoses
c. alcohol-associated accidents d. cigarette smoking
7. The use of psychoactive drugs for non-medicinal purposes
a. is a relatively recent phenomenon, dating back only about 300 years
b. has generally been restricted to Western cultures
c. has been noted to occur in many cultures across many centuries
d. began with the use of caffeine in the Middle East
8. Empirical evidence suggests that providing educational information to children and adolescents on the
hazards of nonmedicinal drug use has
a. had minimal impact on their actual use of recreational drugs
b. resulted in significant declines in the likelihood of using recreational drugs
c. actually resulted in a substantial increase in youths’ use of recreational drugs
d. reduced the demand for drugs
9. Over the past 50 years or so, most of the money the U. S. government has spent in the attempt to
reduce drug abuse has gone towards
a. reducing the supply of illegal drugs in this country
b. educating young people over the hazards of illegal drug use
c. reducing the supply of legal drugs in this country
d. reducing the demand for drugs
10. The use of substances for their intoxicating properties appears to be evidenced
a. only in humans b. in a wide variety of animal species
c. only in industrialized societies d. only in the higher primates
11. Which of the following drugs contributes most to the annual monetary cost to U.S. society because of
substance abuse?
a. heroin b. cocaine c. alcohol d. nicotine
,12. Psychopharmacology most directly deals with the study of drugs on
a. behavioral variables b. the body
c. brain function d. neurochemistry
13. In the past, which of the following consequences of the illegality of drugs has commonly occurred?
a. drug prices have decreased
b. more hazardous methods of administering drugs have come into use
c. there has been a decrease in non-drug related crimes
d. drug overdoses have decreased
14. In the 1950s which of the following drugs led to widespread systematic research on drugs that could
specifically reduce the symptoms of mental disorders?
a. LSD b. chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
c. morphine d. cocaine
15. The use of drugs to alter psychological functioning has been documented to occur as far back as
a. many centuries B.C. b. 1000 A.D.
c. 1600 A.D. d. 1800 A.D.
16. In the mid-1800s, the French physician Moreau de Tours published a book focusing on the behavioral
effects of what substance?
a. morphine b. hashish c. cocaine d. lithium
17. The discipline of psychopharmacology focuses primarily on the effects of drugs on
a. biological systems b. neuronal activities
c. behavioral variables d. symptoms of mental illness
18. Research assessing the effectiveness of needle/syringe exchange programs for drug abusers has
indicated that these programs generally
a. lead to increased use of illicit drugs, while having little effect on the incidence of transmission
of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
b. lead to a reduction in the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, but there is an
increase in the use of illicit drugs.
c. lead to a reduction in the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, without
producing an increase in the use of illicit drugs.
d. have no effect on either the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or the
incidence of use of illicit drugs.
19. Sigmund Freud is best known in the field of psychopharmacology for his research with
a. morphine b. cocaine c. LSD d. nitrous oxide
20. In the 1950s, because of its similarity to the molecular structure of chlorpromazine (a drug with
consider efficacy in the treatment of schizophrenia), imipramine (Tofranil) was assessed as a treatment
of schizophrenia. While it was not effective in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia, it was found
to very effective in the treatment of
a. bipolar disorders b. Parkinson’s disease c. anxiety disorder d. depression
Chapter 1. Answers to multiple choice questions and page numbers from which questions are derived.
, 1. a, p 2-3
2. b, p 7
3. a, p 2
4. e, p 16-17
5. a, p 7
6. d, p 17
7. c, p 2-3
8. a, p 16-17
9. a, p 12
10. b, p 3
11. c, p 12
12. a, p 1
13. b, p 12
14. b, p 6
15. a, p 2-3
16. b, p 4
17. c, p 1
18. c, p 15
19. b, p 5
20. d, p 7
Matching questions. From the list of substances below, indicate in questions 1 - 8 which substance is most
associated with the name, phrase, or term noted (use the letter next to each drug).
a. morphine
b. cocaine
c. nicotine
d. nitrous oxide
e. alcohol
f. hemlock
g. LSD
h. bromides
i. chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
j. lithium
k. Amanita muscaria
1. mescaline
m. marijuana
n. datura
o. strychnine
p. imipramine
Essay questions.
Q. When did the modern era of psychopharmacology begin and what events were most associated with its
beginning?
A (p. 6-7). It began in the 1950’s with the discovery that chlorpromazine reduced or eliminated many of the
core symptoms of schizophrenia in a much more specific fashion than previous drugs and with (apparently)
lower toxicity. With this discovery, there was a dramatic change in the treatment of mental illness. This led
to many pharmaceutical companies attempting to formulate other similar drugs, one of which (imipramine)
was found to be very effective in the treatment of depression. It also provided evidence that certain forms
of mental illness had a biochemical basis, rather than being due to purely environmental conditions (e.g.,
“bad” parenting).
Q. What events led to the position taken by the Food and Drug Administration that tobacco should be
regulated by the agency?
A (p. 17). It was determined that tobacco companies knew that tobacco was in effect a nicotine delivery
system that was intended to provide nicotine to satisfy users’ addiction, which according to the Federal
Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act made nicotine legally a drug.
Q. Describe the “harm reduction” approach to dealing with drug abuse.
A (p. 15). Harm reduction is a pragmatic approach to diminishing the individual and social harm associated
with drug use—especially the risk of HIV infection. It is an effort designed to prevent criminal prosecution
from being more damaging to the individual drug user than the relevant drug itself. The approach
encompasses a wide range of drug user services including making clean needles and syringes available to
injecting drug users, increasing access to methadone treatment, and providing addicts with clean supplies of
the drugs to which they are addicted.
Q. What was Sigmund Freud’s contribution to the field of psychopharmacology?
A (p. 5). Early in his career, he spent three years investigating the physiological and psychological effects
of cocaine, e.g., on fatigue, depression, strength and morphine addiction.
Multiple choice questions.
1. In most cultures “using drugs” to alter mood and behavior was/is:
a. a common occurrence b. restricted to males
c. restricted to medical practitioners d. not part of the culture
2. The discovery of chlorpromazine’s benefits in the treatment of psychosis led to further research with a
variety of psychotropic drugs. The therapeutic value of which drug was initially overlooked because of
this discovery?
a. LSD b. lithium salts
c. tricyclic antidepressants d. morphine
,3. The effects of a psychoactive drug on behavior that do not depend on the drug’s particular molecular
structure are the result of
a. the person’s set and expectancy
b. number of previous exposures to the drug
c. the dose level of the drug
d. different levels of fat in the person
4. According to national surveys, in comparison with the drug use patterns in the mid-1970s in the United
States, which drug has there been a significant increase in the use of by high school students?
a. alcohol b. marijuana c. cocaine d. heroin
e. none of these
5. Shortly after it was discovered, LSD was initially used primarily
a. as a research tool for understanding the biochemical basis of psychosis
b. by several religious groups in their religious ceremonies
c. by heroin addicts to alleviate withdrawal
d. to alleviate pain
6. Which of the following is the leading cause of mortality in the United States?
a. heroin overdoses b. cocaine overdoses
c. alcohol-associated accidents d. cigarette smoking
7. The use of psychoactive drugs for non-medicinal purposes
a. is a relatively recent phenomenon, dating back only about 300 years
b. has generally been restricted to Western cultures
c. has been noted to occur in many cultures across many centuries
d. began with the use of caffeine in the Middle East
8. Empirical evidence suggests that providing educational information to children and adolescents on the
hazards of nonmedicinal drug use has
a. had minimal impact on their actual use of recreational drugs
b. resulted in significant declines in the likelihood of using recreational drugs
c. actually resulted in a substantial increase in youths’ use of recreational drugs
d. reduced the demand for drugs
9. Over the past 50 years or so, most of the money the U. S. government has spent in the attempt to
reduce drug abuse has gone towards
a. reducing the supply of illegal drugs in this country
b. educating young people over the hazards of illegal drug use
c. reducing the supply of legal drugs in this country
d. reducing the demand for drugs
10. The use of substances for their intoxicating properties appears to be evidenced
a. only in humans b. in a wide variety of animal species
c. only in industrialized societies d. only in the higher primates
11. Which of the following drugs contributes most to the annual monetary cost to U.S. society because of
substance abuse?
a. heroin b. cocaine c. alcohol d. nicotine
,12. Psychopharmacology most directly deals with the study of drugs on
a. behavioral variables b. the body
c. brain function d. neurochemistry
13. In the past, which of the following consequences of the illegality of drugs has commonly occurred?
a. drug prices have decreased
b. more hazardous methods of administering drugs have come into use
c. there has been a decrease in non-drug related crimes
d. drug overdoses have decreased
14. In the 1950s which of the following drugs led to widespread systematic research on drugs that could
specifically reduce the symptoms of mental disorders?
a. LSD b. chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
c. morphine d. cocaine
15. The use of drugs to alter psychological functioning has been documented to occur as far back as
a. many centuries B.C. b. 1000 A.D.
c. 1600 A.D. d. 1800 A.D.
16. In the mid-1800s, the French physician Moreau de Tours published a book focusing on the behavioral
effects of what substance?
a. morphine b. hashish c. cocaine d. lithium
17. The discipline of psychopharmacology focuses primarily on the effects of drugs on
a. biological systems b. neuronal activities
c. behavioral variables d. symptoms of mental illness
18. Research assessing the effectiveness of needle/syringe exchange programs for drug abusers has
indicated that these programs generally
a. lead to increased use of illicit drugs, while having little effect on the incidence of transmission
of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
b. lead to a reduction in the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, but there is an
increase in the use of illicit drugs.
c. lead to a reduction in the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, without
producing an increase in the use of illicit drugs.
d. have no effect on either the transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS or the
incidence of use of illicit drugs.
19. Sigmund Freud is best known in the field of psychopharmacology for his research with
a. morphine b. cocaine c. LSD d. nitrous oxide
20. In the 1950s, because of its similarity to the molecular structure of chlorpromazine (a drug with
consider efficacy in the treatment of schizophrenia), imipramine (Tofranil) was assessed as a treatment
of schizophrenia. While it was not effective in reducing the symptoms of schizophrenia, it was found
to very effective in the treatment of
a. bipolar disorders b. Parkinson’s disease c. anxiety disorder d. depression
Chapter 1. Answers to multiple choice questions and page numbers from which questions are derived.
, 1. a, p 2-3
2. b, p 7
3. a, p 2
4. e, p 16-17
5. a, p 7
6. d, p 17
7. c, p 2-3
8. a, p 16-17
9. a, p 12
10. b, p 3
11. c, p 12
12. a, p 1
13. b, p 12
14. b, p 6
15. a, p 2-3
16. b, p 4
17. c, p 1
18. c, p 15
19. b, p 5
20. d, p 7
Matching questions. From the list of substances below, indicate in questions 1 - 8 which substance is most
associated with the name, phrase, or term noted (use the letter next to each drug).
a. morphine
b. cocaine
c. nicotine
d. nitrous oxide
e. alcohol
f. hemlock
g. LSD
h. bromides
i. chlorpromazine (Thorazine)
j. lithium
k. Amanita muscaria
1. mescaline
m. marijuana
n. datura
o. strychnine
p. imipramine
