• Pressman AH

• Mental Disorders
• Neurophysiology
• Psychopharmacology

The following article originally appeared in the book Mediators of the Mind, by Alan H. Pressman, D.C., DACBN, published by Managment Enterprises, 7 East 9th Street, New York, New York 10003.    

It is reprinted with the permission of the author.

Perfectly tuned and smoothly functioning synapses are essential to the successful operation of such complex mental processes as perception, cognition, affect and judgment.  Since such processes are often disturbed in mental illness, increased knowledge of them should help to unravel the mysteries of mental disorders.   Only recently have the new techniques for studying the chemistry of the synapes been applied to mental disorders such as schizophrenia and manic-depressive psychosis.  The evidence that allows the formulation of biochemical theories is derived mainly from the influence of drugs on depressive symptoms and schizophrenia and thier effects on neurotransmitters.  These drugs can alleviate the symptoms of depression, mania and schizophrenia as well as create them--- and they act specifically on synaptic processes.

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher. Full text is available by subscription.