Plants and the Human Brain Author:David O. Kennedy All are familiar with the notion that consuming plant chemicals and extracts affects the way we think and feel. The majority of us use psychoactive chemicals on a daily basis in the form of caffeine or nicotine, and some use illicit drugs, such as cannabis, methamphetamine (ephedrine), and opiates, all of which are derived from plants. We also c... more »onsume a vast range of plant-based foods, medicines, food supplements, and herbal products that affect the functioning of our central nervous system. A significant body of literature describes the mechanisms by which many of these plant chemicals (or 'phytochemicals') affect brain function and modulate our behavior and mood. However, the simple question of why phytochemicals affect human brain function has been almost completely ignored.
In Plants and the Human Brain, David O. Kennedy shows how the vast range of psychoactive phytochemicals affects human brain function and behavior, framing this in the context of "why" plant chemicals have these affects. The book explores the relationship between the ecological roles of phytochemicals in the life of the plant and how these roles relate to modulation of brain function in humans. Plants and the Human Brain is a significant contribution that discusses the evolutionary role of plants and the influences and interaction with the human brain.« less