Drugs and their Effects on Consciousness and the Brain

Psy391D - Class 23

Optional Reading Chapter 1 from Peter Kramer's book Listening to Prozac. Kramer is a psychiatrist, and like many psychiatrists he has used Prozac to treat many of his patients who suffer from depression. In this chapter he talks about how a couple of his patients have reacted to the drug, and raises questions about the relationship between personality and biology. .

Many different drugs have profound effects on behavior, but some of the most dramatic come from Prozac and other SSRI's.

• The first antidepressant drugs appeared in the 1950s.
• Prozac was introduced in 1987.
• Blocks reuptake of serotonin.
• More specific in its effects than earlier antidepressants.
  • Has fewer side effects than other antidepressants.
  • Not very dangerous if taken in overdose.
• Side effects do occur occasionally.
  • nausea
  • insomnia
  • drawsiness
  • fatigue
  • sweating
  • rash
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • some claims of suicide
  • some claims of violence

Kramer's account is very useful for considering these questions:

1. How would you characterize the changes that Prozac causes? What is it about the patients that the drug is changing?
2. How would a materialist explain these effects?
3. How would a dualist explain these effects?
4. Based on what we have learned about brain damage and the effects of drugs, what aspects of the mind could be independent of the physical interactions within the brain?

Psych 391D: Consciousness Kyle Cave Psychology Dept. U. Mass.