Final answer:
Psychoactive drugs, including prescription, alcohol, and illegal drugs, affect the central nervous system by altering mood, thinking, perception, and behavior.
Step-by-step explanation:
Psychoactive drugs, such as caffeine, alcohol, and illegal drugs, are substances that change the function of the brain and result in alterations of mood, thinking, perception, and/or behavior. They can affect the central nervous system by influencing the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain. For example, caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, while alcohol is a depressant. Illegal drugs like LSD and heroin also have psychoactive effects on the central nervous system.