ABSTRACT
The study of the effects of drugs upon behavior began over 30 years ago. The field of Behavioral Pharmacology grew with the basic assumptions that because drugs change neurochemical functioning in the brain, they are capable of altering a variety of behaviors. The past 3 decades have been rich in describing the psychoactive properties of drugs. The findings that dietary nutrients can also change brain neurochemical functions have given rise not only to the study of relationships between diet and behavior, but also to the effects of nutrients on drug interactions with behavior. These latter aspects have been termed Dietary Behavioral Pharmacology (Dews, 1986). Much of this literature has mainly focused on manipulations of protein, carbohydrates, and individual amino acids. Other nutrients are also capable of interactions with the brain. Most notable are reports of certain vitamins and minerals having a modulatory effect on behavior and drug action.
