Psychotropic drugs and the blood-brain barrier

Factual Questions
1

Can psychotropic drugs cross the blood-brain barrier - yes or no?

I am currently debating this on a newsgroup. One of the posters said that they never do, ever. This didn’t sound right to me so I did some research. Evidently whether drugs cross the BBB or not depends a lot on whether they’re more soluble in water or in lipids. So I made a post to this effect, with quotes and sources. However, the sources didn’t address psychotropic drugs specifically. He posted back that no way no how do psychotropics ever cross it, period, end of debate.

I am willing to conceded that this guy is right, but I’d like some hard evidence instead of taking his word for it. It seems that I’ve seen some biomedical types posting here, so I’m hoping someone can help me out.

Thanks in advance.

-sulla

2

In my biology book, it says that only gases, small uncharged molecules, and certain fat-soluble molecules can penetrate the blood brain barrier. Drugs such as heroin, nicotine, and cannabinol cross the barrier because they can dissolve in the fats of capillary walls.

3

Thank you very much! I was able to find a great source to back this up at
http://www.nida.nih.gov/pdf/monographs.120.pdf
Drugs that cross the BBB include morphine, nicotine, caffeine, amphetamine, cocaine, codeine and cannaboids.

Well, I’m off to fight some ignorance.

-sulla