Medication of the Mind

We are witnessing what many call "the biological revolution in psychiatry"--a revolution that is as controversial as it is potentially beneficial. Phychoanalysis as pioneered by Freud and Jung, along with all the subsequent forms of talk therapy, is at risk of becoming obsolete. Using the latest technology, modern medical scientists believe they can now pinpoint the natural biological and chemical causes of most mental illnesses.

The result is a new class of mind medications that includes drugs such as Prozac and Zoloft. These drugs alter the function of the neurons and synapses of the human brain and, in the process, can dramatically change people's personalities in ways we don't yet fully understand. What does the future hold?

- Can drugs really cure depression and anxiety?If so, should we use them for this purpose?
- Who should be medicated and who shouldn't? Who decides?
- What is the future of talk therapy?
- Will the discovery of the genetic causes of mental illnesses lead to genetic experimentation and engineering?

Scientific American Focus: Medication of the Mind offers a concise and comprehensive overview of all sides of the debate; in addition, it fully explains basic brain science and the nature of mental illness.