Biological Approach To Psychopathology Flashcards
Key assumptions of biological approach to psychopathology
P- Caused by physical abnormalities in the structure or function of the brain
I- Assumed to be an illness which can be treated with medication
G- May be caused by genetic factors
4 ways of suffering mental disorders according to biological approach
Brain damage
Infection
Genes
Biochemistry
Brain Damage
Can be caused by anything, including road accidents, degenerative disease, alcohol use
Brooks
Interviewed 42 relatives of patients who suffered brain damage five years after their injury. The problems patients showed included: concentration and memory problems and some violent/inappropriate behaviour
Phineas Gage
NEED TO FIND THIS AGAIN
Infection
Some infections can cause brain damage which leads to psychopathology. Eg. If a mother has flu in the first three weeks of pregnancy, the child is more likely to develop schizophrenia
Genes
The biological approach suggests that people may inherit a vulnerability to mental illness
Gershon
Found that relatives of people who were depressed are 2-3 times more likely to develop depression than the general population
Wender et al
Traced the biological parents of depressed people who had been adopted as a child. Their biological parents were 8 times more likely tohave suffered depression than there adoptive parents. An increased rate of depression in the parents was not seen in the control group.
Price
Found a concordance rate for bipolar depression was 68% for monozygotic twins and 23% for dizygotic twins.
Biochemistry
Schizophrenia - over activity of dopamine
Depression - under activity of serotonin
Anxiety - under activity of GABA
Teuting et al
Measured the breakdown products of serotonin in depressed and non depressed people by analysing a urine sample. Found that the levels of serotonin were lower in the urine of depressed people.
Benefits of biological approach to psychopathology
:) Removes the blame from the person
:) Treatment implications
:) Objective, scientific evidence
Drawbacks of biological approach to psychopathology
:( Stigma attached
:( Determanistic
Biological therapies
Interventions that help to redress the biological abnormalities such as biochemical imbalances in the brain or to remove abnormal areas from the brain
3 Biological treatments
1) Drug treatment
2) Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)
3) Psychosurgery
Drug treatments
Benzodiazapines
Specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)
Benzodiazapines (psychopathology)
Eg. Valium
Used to treat anxiety by enhancing the GABA activity which inhibits the nervous system
Side effects include: physical dependence, Poor concentration and memory
Mitte
Meta analysis of studies on Benzodiazapines. Results found that BZ are as effective as CBT in treating generalised anxiety disorder but not for panic disorder or OCD
SSRIs
Eg. Prozac
Prevent serotonin from being absorbed back into a neuron, making more serotonin available for the brain.
Side effects include: tremor, insomnia, upset stomach, violent outbursts, suicidal thoughts
Effectiveness of SSRIs
Controlled trials suggest that between 60-70% of patients show improvements in response to antidepressants.
Benefits of Drug Therapy for psychopathology
:) Gitlin
:) Low cost
Drawbacks of Drug therapy for psychopathology
:( Side effects
:( Treat symptom, not cause
:( Overused in hospitals because of ease of use
Gitlin
Found that SSRIs worked with 65% of patients in comparison to 33% who where given a placebo
ECT
Electro-convulsive therapy
Patient given anaesthetic and muscle relaxant and lies on a bed. A current of between 70-130 volts through the brain for approximately half a second. The current induces convulsions that last approximately one minute. Once the patient comes round, they remember nothing from the procedure.
Benefits of ECT
:) Shakheim
Drawbacks of ECT
:( Only administered if drugs have no effect and the person is at risk to themselves
:( side effects include short term memory loss
Psychosurgery
Brain surgery to treat psychological disorders. Involves the removal of brain surgery and the effects are irreversible. Psychosurgery is a last resort and only used for treating otherwise intractable conditions.
Evaluation of psychosurgery
:( Contrevertial treatment
:) Some procedures carried out to alleviate severe anxiety or OCD have been beneficial
Shackheim
Found that 60-70% of patients who had ECT treatment showed improvement
