Biological Approach To Psychopathology

Question 1

Key assumptions of biological approach to psychopathology

Answer 1

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

Question 2

4 ways of suffering mental disorders according to biological approach

Answer 2

Brain damage
Infection
Genes
Biochemistry

Question 3

Brain Damage

Answer 3

Can be caused by anything, including road accidents, degenerative disease, alcohol use

Question 4

Brooks

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Phineas Gage

Answer 5

NEED TO FIND THIS AGAIN

Question 6

Infection

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Genes

Answer 7

The biological approach suggests that people may inherit a vulnerability to mental illness

Question 8

Gershon

Answer 8

Found that relatives of people who were depressed are 2-3 times more likely to develop depression than the general population

Question 9

Wender et al

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

Price

Answer 10

Found a concordance rate for bipolar depression was 68% for monozygotic twins and 23% for dizygotic twins.

Question 11

Biochemistry

Answer 11

Schizophrenia - over activity of dopamine
Depression - under activity of serotonin
Anxiety - under activity of GABA

Question 12

Teuting et al

Answer 12

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.

Question 13

Benefits of biological approach to psychopathology

Answer 13

:) Removes the blame from the person
:) Treatment implications
:) Objective, scientific evidence

Question 14

Drawbacks of biological approach to psychopathology

Answer 14

:( Stigma attached

:( Determanistic

Question 15

Biological therapies

Answer 15

Interventions that help to redress the biological abnormalities such as biochemical imbalances in the brain or to remove abnormal areas from the brain

Question 16

3 Biological treatments

Answer 16

1) Drug treatment
2) Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT)
3) Psychosurgery

Question 17

Drug treatments

Answer 17

Benzodiazapines

Specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI)

Question 18

Benzodiazapines (psychopathology)

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Mitte

Answer 19

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

Question 20

SSRIs

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Effectiveness of SSRIs

Answer 21

Controlled trials suggest that between 60-70% of patients show improvements in response to antidepressants.

Question 22

Benefits of Drug Therapy for psychopathology

Answer 22

:) Gitlin

:) Low cost

Question 23

Drawbacks of Drug therapy for psychopathology

Answer 23

:( Side effects
:( Treat symptom, not cause
:( Overused in hospitals because of ease of use

Question 24

Gitlin

Answer 24

Found that SSRIs worked with 65% of patients in comparison to 33% who where given a placebo

Question 25

ECT

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Benefits of ECT

Answer 26

:) Shakheim

Question 27

Drawbacks of ECT

Answer 27

:( Only administered if drugs have no effect and the person is at risk to themselves
:( side effects include short term memory loss

Question 28

Psychosurgery

Answer 28

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.

Question 29

Evaluation of psychosurgery

Answer 29

:( Contrevertial treatment

:) Some procedures carried out to alleviate severe anxiety or OCD have been beneficial

Question 30

Shackheim

Answer 30

Found that 60-70% of patients who had ECT treatment showed improvement