Abnormal Psychology Flashcards
How many depressive episodes on average per person?
4
What is the kindling hypothesis?
the more depressive episodes you have, the more likely you’ll have them in the future
Gender ratio of unipolar depression in childhood vs adolescence/adulthood?
1:1 and 2:1 (women:men)
Persistent Depressive Disorder is characterized by…
Low grade depression (milder version), but chronic (at least years). Up and down in moods.
Double Depression
Going back and forth between PDD and MDD
Depressogenic reaction
When stressed, you will react a certain way, which will make it more vulnerable to developing depression
5-HTT Alleles affect depression 3 ways:
- Dysfunction in serotonin system (5-HT)
- Neuroticism
- Hyperresponsive reaction to aversive stimuli & stress (vulnerability for depression & anxiety)
Low Serotonin in depression causes these symptoms (4)
- Sad & Depressed mood
- Obsessive quality of grief
- Feelings of worthlessness & guilt
- Recurrent thoughts of death and suicide
Low Dopamine in depression causes…
Loss of interest/pleasure
Low Norepinephrine in depression causes…
Psychomotor retardation
Indirect effect of serotonin in depression causes…
Decrease in norepinephrine & dopamine
OR
increase in norepinephrine & dopamine.
Permissive Theory
Serotonin regulates other transmitters (like NE & DA), and when there is a decreased serontonin, there is a decrease in norephinephrine & dopamine which causes depression. It causes mania when there is an increase of NE & DA due to increased functioning of serotonin.
Direct effect of serotonin in depression is…
Depletion of trypotophan, which causes a relapse.
Trypotophan’s role
Put serotonin together
SSRIs cause increase availability of serotonin, yet on the body, it has 2 mysterious effects on the body:
- Downregulation of serotonin receptors, in attempt for the body to return to homeostasis.
- Decreased metabolite levels are not consistently found
Metabolite
Pieces of neurotransmitters broken down
Left PFC activity decreased in depression affects…
Turns off amygdala, less reaction to approach, less emotional regulatory
Increased activity in the right PFC in depression affects…
Avoid, inhibit, negative attitude
Increased amygdala in depression affects…
FEAR
Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) decreased activity in depression causes…
Selective attention on error-related rewards & losses
Decreased hippocampal volume in depression causes…
Memory & learning are affected, as well as ACTH regulation
What is Beck’s Cognitive Theory for depression?
Negative interpretations of the situations/events causes feelings of depression, which then causes the negative interpretation again, rinse and repeat.
What is the diathesis and stressor in the Beck’s Cognitive Model?
Diathesis: Dysfunction beliefs
Stressor: Negative incident
Negative Cognitive Triad
Describes patterns of negative thoughts that are based on 3 things:
- Self (i’m unlovable)
- World (no one loves me)
- Future (i will never be loved)
Learned helplessness theory
Lack of perceived control over life events, due to pessimistic attributional style
What are the 3 depressive attributional styles?
- Internal Attributions: negative outcomes are one’s own fault
- Stable attributions: future negative outcomes will be one’s fault
- Global attributions: negative events disrupt many life activities, which increase the sense of hopelessness.
Learned hopelessness theory
no hope for the future, due to pessimistic attributional style + negative life event + experience of state of hopelessness => Depression
Why are women more likely to become depressed? Give bio, psycho, and social reasons.
Bio - More cortisol found in women
Psycho - More tendency to ruminate, feeling sad (a passive form of emotion versus anger that is more active form of emotion, felt by men)
Social - More likely to experience chronically stressful events such as sexual harassment, trauma, poverty; more likely to care about those who are going through difficulty and get burnt out
Name at least 3 biological treatments for unipolar depression
- SSRIs
- Light therapy
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
What’s the benefit and risk of ECT?
Benefit: Works quickly when it works
Risk: Memory loss, confusion
What’s the benefit and risk of TMS?
Benefit: Non-invasive
Risks: Still relatively new