Substance Abuse in Adolescents and Young Adults: A Manual for Pediatric and Primary Care Clinicians

The abuse of drugs and chemicals has become a problematic public health dilemma for the world's population and one that must be dealt with by parents, societies, clinicians, researchers, and even countries in the world. This book discusses the complex neurobiology that underlies drug addiction and reveals how these illicit chemicals disrupt central nervous system neurotransmission involving such neurotransmitters as serotonin, dopamine, and others. This manual reviews current understanding in drug interactions with neurotransmitter systems, neuroimmune signaling, current research on reward circuitry, and current medications used to treat drug addiction. It also discusses related topics such as drug addiction in females, co-morbid conditions, drug addiction in minority populations, prenatal drug exposure and others. The book covers new drugs of the 21st century and discusses such controversial topics as legalization of drug use. It also provides internet resources, treatment facilities by state, and parent support organizations. The importance of prevention of drug abuse is a key theme of the book.

• Interface of psychiatry & Pediatrics: Substance Abuse Disorders
• Etiology of Substance Abuse Disorders: Neurobiology and Genetics
• Diagnosis of Substance Abuse Disorders
• Clinical management of Substance Abuse disorders in children & adolescents
• Treatment of Specific Additions: The Role of the Primary Care Clinician
• New Challenges and Policy: New Drugs of the 21st century, The Societal Burden of Substance Abuse, Pros and Cons of legalization