Abnormal Psychology

Question 1

How many depressive episodes on average per person?

Answer 1

4

Question 2

What is the kindling hypothesis?

Answer 2

the more depressive episodes you have, the more likely you’ll have them in the future

Question 3

Gender ratio of unipolar depression in childhood vs adolescence/adulthood?

Answer 3

1:1 and 2:1 (women:men)

Question 4

Persistent Depressive Disorder is characterized by…

Answer 4

Low grade depression (milder version), but chronic (at least years). Up and down in moods.

Question 5

Double Depression

Answer 5

Going back and forth between PDD and MDD

Question 6

Depressogenic reaction

Answer 6

When stressed, you will react a certain way, which will make it more vulnerable to developing depression

Question 7

5-HTT Alleles affect depression 3 ways:

Answer 7

1. Dysfunction in serotonin system (5-HT)
2. Neuroticism
3. Hyperresponsive reaction to aversive stimuli & stress (vulnerability for depression & anxiety)

Question 8

Low Serotonin in depression causes these symptoms (4)

Answer 8

1. Sad & Depressed mood
2. Obsessive quality of grief
3. Feelings of worthlessness & guilt
4. Recurrent thoughts of death and suicide

Question 9

Low Dopamine in depression causes…

Answer 9

Loss of interest/pleasure

Question 10

Low Norepinephrine in depression causes…

Answer 10

Psychomotor retardation

Question 11

Indirect effect of serotonin in depression causes…

Answer 11

Decrease in norepinephrine & dopamine
OR
increase in norepinephrine & dopamine.

Question 12

Permissive Theory

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

Direct effect of serotonin in depression is…

Answer 13

Depletion of trypotophan, which causes a relapse.

Question 14

Trypotophan’s role

Answer 14

Put serotonin together

Question 15

SSRIs cause increase availability of serotonin, yet on the body, it has 2 mysterious effects on the body:

Answer 15

1. Downregulation of serotonin receptors, in attempt for the body to return to homeostasis.
2. Decreased metabolite levels are not consistently found

Question 16

Metabolite

Answer 16

Pieces of neurotransmitters broken down

Question 17

Left PFC activity decreased in depression affects…

Answer 17

Turns off amygdala, less reaction to approach, less emotional regulatory

Question 18

Increased activity in the right PFC in depression affects…

Answer 18

Avoid, inhibit, negative attitude

Question 19

Increased amygdala in depression affects…

Answer 19

FEAR

Question 20

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) decreased activity in depression causes…

Answer 20

Selective attention on error-related rewards & losses

Question 21

Decreased hippocampal volume in depression causes…

Answer 21

Memory & learning are affected, as well as ACTH regulation

Question 22

What is Beck’s Cognitive Theory for depression?

Answer 22

Negative interpretations of the situations/events causes feelings of depression, which then causes the negative interpretation again, rinse and repeat.

Question 23

What is the diathesis and stressor in the Beck’s Cognitive Model?

Answer 23

Diathesis: Dysfunction beliefs
Stressor: Negative incident

Question 24

Negative Cognitive Triad

Answer 24

Describes patterns of negative thoughts that are based on 3 things:

1. Self (i’m unlovable)
2. World (no one loves me)
3. Future (i will never be loved)

Question 25

Learned helplessness theory

Answer 25

Lack of perceived control over life events, due to pessimistic attributional style

Question 26

What are the 3 depressive attributional styles?

Answer 26

1. Internal Attributions: negative outcomes are one's own fault 2. Stable attributions: future negative outcomes will be one's fault 3. Global attributions: negative events disrupt many life activities, which increase the sense of hopelessness.

Question 27

Learned hopelessness theory

Answer 27

no hope for the future, due to pessimistic attributional style + negative life event + experience of state of hopelessness => Depression

Question 28

Why are women more likely to become depressed? Give bio, psycho, and social reasons.

Answer 28

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

Question 29

Name at least 3 biological treatments for unipolar depression

Answer 29

1. SSRIs 2. Light therapy 3. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Question 30

What's the benefit and risk of ECT?

Answer 30

Benefit: Works quickly when it works Risk: Memory loss, confusion

Question 31

What's the benefit and risk of TMS?

Answer 31

Benefit: Non-invasive Risks: Still relatively new