Treatment with drugs is fundamental to modern therapy of psychiatric disorders. The number of disorders responsive to drug treatment is increasing, reflecting the extensive synthesis of novel compounds and the greater understanding of the aetiology of the disorders.

This third edition provides new and updated material, including an additional chapter on clinical trials and their importance in assessing the efficacy and safety of psychotropic drugs. As molecular biology and imaging techniques are of increasing importance to basic and clinical neuroscience, these areas have also been...