Messengers of the Brain

The rise of modern psychopharmacology following upon the discovery of efficient psychotherapeutic agents in the middle of the previous century has led to a paradigm shift in brain research, based upon the discovery that nerve cells communicate with each other via chemical messengers. Thanks to this discovery (which awarded the author Arvid Carlsson the Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology in 2000) new possibilities have opened up to disclose the mechanisms steering our thoughts and emotions and the disturbances underlying neuropsychiatric diseases.
Substances influencing our mental life have been used during all times. The increased knowledge of the brain has given us drugs with a more specific action and milder side effects than before. Probably we will also have access to substances with entirely new fields of application, for instance drugs improving memory, learning and creativity. Maybe tomorrow human beings will have a whole arsenal of highly sophisticated substances that are individually tailored to improve their function and well-being. This sounds fantastic but could be a reality in the not too distant future. However, brain research will probably also lead to the evolution of novel non-pharmacological treatments. It will also spur scientists to revisit some of the oldest and most fundamental issues. For instance, where is the mind located? Is there a connection between creativity and madness? Perhaps the last question will be elucidated in light of recent developments in our understanding of the biological evolution.
Messengers of the Brain is an introduction to modern neuroscience. In a comprehensible way the authors make the most recent scientific advances accessible to a broad circle of readers.