area 2- mental Health

Question 1

what is meant biochemical explanation

Answer 1

abnormal levels of neurotransmitters

Question 2

what is the medical model

Answer 2

biochemical explanation, genetic explanation, brain abnormality explanation.

Question 3

what is meant by exitarcy and inhibitory neurotransmitters

Answer 3

exitarcy- causes next neuron to be activated (over stimulated)
inhibitory- prevents action of the next neurone

Question 4

what is the monoamine hypothesis of depression

Answer 4

low serotonin in the brain because serotonin reuptakes at pre-synaptic neuron failing to bind to post synaptic neuron

Question 5

what does noradrenaline do

Answer 5

hypothalamus and hippocampus is largely responsible for heart rate

Question 6

what evidence is their to support the monoamine hypothesis of depression

Answer 6

Meyer (2006)- 17 depressed patients who hadn’t taken antidepressants for 5 months, used PET scans and compared with 17 normal patients - found depressed patient had high levels of monoamine oxidase which breaks down the monoamines to quickly

Question 7

what is the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia

Answer 7

excess dopamine at the D2 receptors which means more dopamine is absorbed at the post- synaptic neuron, overstimulating it.

Question 8

what evidence is their to support the dopamine hypothesis

Answer 8

Seeman (1987)
drugs with high levels of dopamine increase some positive symptoms (hallucinations)
antipsychotics decrease symptoms
post mortems- schizophrenic brains have increased density of D2 receptors than normal

Question 9

what is the GABA explanation of phobias

Answer 9

GABA counterbalances glutamate neurotransmitter which is responsible for panic/ anxiety
people with phobias have decreased levels of GABA so neurons in glutamate pathway is increased leading to phobias

Question 10

what is evidence to support the GABA explanation

Answer 10

Pande (1999) 69 patients with social phobia took drug with high levels of GABA which reduced anxiety

Question 11

genetic explanation of depression

Answer 11

family studies- Gottesman shows increased risk that children have of developing bipolar if parents have it or another disorder
Twin studies- major depression concordance rates between monozygotic twins is between 30-50%, dizygotic twins is 12%
adoption studies- few studies are conducted so less consistent support

Question 12

genetic explanation of schizophrenia

Answer 12

family studies- 1% prevalence i world but risk is x10 greater if your 1st degree relatives have schizophrenia
Twin studies- concordance rates for MZ twins is 50%, DZ is 15%
adoption- Finnish adoption study-biological parents has schizophrenia Childs risk to 9.4%, unaffected parent 1.2%

Question 13

genetic explanation for phobias

Answer 13

twin studies- animal type specific phobias was 26% for MZ twins and 11% for DZ twins , no difference for situation specific situation.

Question 14

what brain abnormality is associated with depression

Answer 14

amygdala: increases in activity when presented to negative stimuli
hippocampus: smaller in patients with depression - more severe - more loss of grey matter

Question 15

what is evidence that brain abnormality is associated with depression

Answer 15

Sheline- gave FRMI scans of 11 patients and showed amygdala was active in those with depression when shown emotional images

Question 16

what is the brain abnormality associated with schizophrenia

Answer 16

enlarged ventricles-reduced grey matter
temporal lobes-loss grey matter- hallucinations
frontal lobes-loss grey matter- disturbed speech/disorganised speech
thalamus- loss of grey matter- auditory/verbal hallucinations

Question 17

what evidence is their to support brain abnormalities in schizophrenia

Answer 17

pol- 159 schizophrenic individuals, found up to 30% increase size in ventricles- less grey matter- less functionality

Question 18

how does brain abnormalities explain phobias

Answer 18

pre-frontal cortex- supresses fear to stimuli if not functioning it fails to supress urge
amygdala - detects/respond to threats - disruption to structure means they can’t control fearful response
hippocampus- learned associations- reduced functioning- person only recalls link between stimulus and previous fearful experience rather than neutral/positive feelings

Question 19

what evidence is their to support that brain abnormality is associated with phobias

Answer 19

Ahs et al (2009)- PET scans measure cerebral blood flow in amygdala and prefrontal cortex of patients with fear of spiders/snakes
found increased activity in amygdala, reduced pre-frontal cortex - phobias are emotional

Question 20

what is the background of Gottesman

Answer 20

past research has been done showing the increased risk of psychological disorders when parent(s) have disorders. This can be useful in genetic counselling

Question 21

what is the Aim of Gottesman

Answer 21

to investigate the likelihood of offspring having schizophrenia or bipolar if one or both parents suffer from one of the disorders

Question 22

what is the sample of Gottesman

Answer 22

2.7 million people born in Denmark between 1968 and 1967

Question 23

what is the research design of Gottesman

Answer 23

secondary data from civil registration

Question 24

what is the procedure of Gottesman

Answer 24

used civil registration to identify parents. then each child and parents was checked to see if they were on the psychiatric register and if so what specific diagnosis. Data on each offspring was then linked with parents psychiatric history so likelihood of disorder could be calculated.

Question 25

what are the results of Gottesman

Answer 25

risk of developing schizophrenia by age 52= both parents with diagnosis: 27% same diagnosis, 67% other diagnosis
1 parent- 7%
risk of developing bipolar by age 52=
both parents with diagnosis: 24% same diagnosis, 44% other diagnosis
1 parent- 4%

Question 26

what is a conclusion of Gottesman

Answer 26

If both parents have schizophrenia, there is an increased risk of offspring developing schizophrenia
if only one parent has disorder there is an increased chance of offspring developing the disorder but not as much as both parents
supports genetic approach that if 1st degree relatives have disorder it is an increased chance for individual

Question 27

explain drug therapy for depression

Answer 27

anti-depressants specifically SSRI’s which are a tablet that stop the reuptake of serotonin so the post synaptic can absorb increased amounts of serotonin to improve the individuals mood.

Question 28

explain drug therapy for schizophrenia

Answer 28

anti-psychotics specifically atypical which treat both negative and positive symptoms by giving a tablet which blocks the D2 receptors so they don’t overstimulate the post-synaptic neurone reducing the amount of times an individual will experience

Question 28

explain how electroconvulsive therapy works

Answer 28

treat depression by patients going to the hospital to have electrodes placed either bilaterally on both temples or unilaterally on one temple. small waves of electricity will pass through the brain giving the patients a small seizure to reline their brain waves as depression is said to be caused by low level of serotonin as it is being reuptake, so waves stimulate serotonin, leading to increased mood.

Question 29

what are some strengths and weaknesses of electroconvulsive therapy

Answer 29

+- instant- good for people at high risk
-standardised procedure- trained to administer in the same way
- give consent - but can they give consent when their at high risk? are they good head space?
– have to go out to hospital
- risky side effects- distress
- is it open to everyone (epilepsy- as it gives people a seizure)