Psychotropic Drug
A psychotropic drug is a chemical that alters brain function in such a way as to affect mood, consciousness, perception, or behavior. These effects are usually temporary.
During the 1960s, some Humans on Earth used a psychotropic drug known as LSD for recreation, which caused some damage to their minds later in life. James T. Kirk, during a time travel mission that visited Earth's past, used this fact in an attempt to explain Spock's unusual comments, behavior, and attire, by stating that he had taken too much of the drug during that era while partaking in the Free Speech Movement at Berkeley, California. (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
In 2151 an away team from the Enterprise (NX-01) fell victim to a naturally occurring psychotropic compound, known as tropolisine on an uninhabited Class M planet. (ENT: "Strange New World")
The Ktarian game was stimulating the brain similar to a psychotropic drug. (TNG: "The Game")
Empok Nor had been the site of a failed experiment by the Cardassians to use psychotropic drugs to enhance Cardassian xenophobia, in order to create more effective soldiers. Three members of the First Order, Third Battalion were treated to the drug, and left behind in stasis tubes when the station was abandoned. The two surviving members were awakened in 2373 by a Starfleet salvage team, who killed three members of the team before being killed by Elim Garak, who had also been exposed to the drug. The drug caused Garak to kill a fourth member of the team before he was neutralized by Chief Miles O'Brien. (DS9: "Empok Nor")
