Final answer:
Drugs are studied by Therapeutic Class, Mechanism of Action, and Chemical Structure. These aspects categorize drugs based on their pharmacological effects, how they interact with brain chemistry, and their molecular composition, respectively. The correct option is A).
Step-by-step explanation:
Because there are so many different drugs, with many having similar effects, we study drugs by D) All of the above: Therapeutic Class, Mechanism of Action, and Chemical Structure. Studying drugs by therapeutic class involves grouping them based on their pharmacological effects.
For example, psychoactive drugs are divided into stimulants, depressants, anxiolytics, euphoriants, hallucinogens, and empathogens.Each of these classes has distinct effects on mood, thinking, perception, and behavior.
Mechanism of Action is another way drugs are studied, which refers to how they produce effects by affecting brain chemistry. This involves their interaction with neurotransmitters or neurotransmitter receptors in the brain, acting as either agonists or antagonists to modify neurotransmitter activity.
Finally, drugs are also studied by their Chemical Structure. Understanding how the target acts inside the cell and designing molecules that can block or activate a particular reaction are key aspects of drug development.
Drug discovery may involve the creation of analogs of existing agents, identification of natural products, or finding compounds active against novel targets for diseases. Option A) is the correct one.